National Day / Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation / Report. ..by Mohamed Al Tunaiji.

Abu Dhabi, November 27 / WAM / Nuclear energy contributes to diversifying energy supplies in the country while ensuring future energy security. Investments in this field also boost economic development and create many job opportunities for citizens of the United Arab Emirates. Nuclear energy is the optimal choice for the country because it uses safe, environmentally friendly, and reliable technology, in addition to its commercial viability and ability to produce large quantities of electricity.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation is proud to be one of the key energy production programs supported by the UAE government and its people, and it remains committed to serving this precious nation and driving development and progress to achieve social prosperity and economic stability.

The launch of the UAE's peaceful nuclear energy program came after a comprehensive assessment of the country's growing energy needs and its capacity for energy production, taking into account relative costs, the environment, supply security, and long-term economic development potential.

On December 23, 2009, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, issued a decree establishing the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation.

The corporation is fully owned by the Abu Dhabi government and is subject to the laws of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), which is an independent regulatory and supervisory body that reports to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs through its nine-member board of directors.

The corporation is responsible for owning and operating nuclear power plants in the UAE, while also making strategic investments in the nuclear sector both locally and globally.

The corporation is committed to providing a safe, economical, and environmentally friendly energy source for the UAE. Its mission is to provide safe, economical, efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly nuclear energy to the UAE grid by 2017. The corporation is currently the sole operator and responsible entity for nuclear energy production in the UAE.

The corporation's operations are regulated by the UAE's independent nuclear regulatory authority, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), which is headed by a prominent international figure in nuclear regulation and a former official of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The authority employs an elite group of international experts in energy, safety, and nuclear regulation.

This regulatory system will impose high standards and encourage the application of self-correction processes and best international practices, leveraging global expertise from energy and nuclear regulatory institutions.

The first plant is expected to begin operations in 2017, while the other three plants are scheduled to start operations in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively.

In April 2009, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation selected the preferred site for constructing peaceful nuclear power plants in the UAE. The chosen location was Barakah in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi on the Arabian Gulf, approximately 53 kilometers west-southwest of the city of Ruwais.

The Barakah site was selected based on environmental, technical, and commercial factors, following a comprehensive evaluation process conducted by several local and international experts.

In the site selection process for the Barakah nuclear plants, the corporation followed all guidelines and standards set by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, the Electric Power Research Institute, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

In July 2010, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi granted limited construction permits to begin work at the Barakah site. These permits allowed the start of site preparation, infrastructure development for the nuclear plants, and initial construction work in utility areas outside the nuclear power plants, such as roads, communication networks, and administrative buildings.

These permits also allowed for the assembly and manufacturing of various components of the nuclear power plants, including reactor pressure vessels, steam generators, and cooling pumps, which are crucial for maintaining safety.

In December 2010, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation submitted a construction license application for the first and second plants to the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation.

The process of preparing the application document, which contained information on safety, environmental impact, and other aspects, took a full year.

The corporation collaborated with the project's main contractor, the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), in preparing the application.

The technology selected for use in the UAE's first nuclear power plants is the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400), which employs modern, proven technology and meets the highest international standards for safety, performance, and environmental impact. The nuclear plants were specially designed to adapt to the climatic conditions in the UAE and to comply with any special requirements issued by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, the body responsible for overseeing nuclear safety standards in the UAE.

In July 2012, the corporation obtained approval from both the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi to construct the UAE's first nuclear power plant at the Barakah site.

After obtaining approval, the corporation began the safety concrete pouring work for the first plant, which is a significant achievement for the UAE's peaceful nuclear electricity generation program.

As the Western Region is the location of the UAE's first nuclear power plants, the region will benefit in many ways. The corporation seeks to provide social and economic support and investment in the Western Region to drive sustainable development and create numerous job opportunities for local residents.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation looks forward to developing an integrated, fruitful, and long-term partnership with community members in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.

To achieve this, the corporation will work closely with the Western Region Development Council, the Western Region Municipality, and the Urban Planning Council.

In line with its commitment to transparency and community engagement, the corporation organized a number of community forums to answer all questions about the UAE's peaceful nuclear program, enrich the community with more information and details about how nuclear energy works, present the latest developments of the program, and highlight promising job and training opportunities and scholarships provided by the corporation for national talent, as well as meetings with management and the corporation's team.

In August 2012, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announced the results of a tender launched in July 2011 aimed at developing a strategy to supply the nuclear fuel needed to operate the nuclear power plants for the first fifteen years of their operational life.