Abu Dhabi - MENA Herald: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and its operating subsidiary Nawah Energy Company, celebrated 40 years of collaboration between the UAE and the IAEA during the 60th IAEA Annual Regular Session held at the Vienna International Centre in Vienna, Austria, this week.
The UAE delegation to the Session, made up of ENEC, Nawah, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) and Khalifa University is led by the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the IAEA, Ambassador Hamad Al Kaabi who provided attendees with an update on some of the recent major milestones achieved at the Barakah nuclear energy plant.
The highest policy-making body of the IAEA, the General Conference, meets annually to consider and approve the Agency’s programme and decide on other matters brought before it. This year’s meeting is of particular importance as members of the IAEA celebrated the 60th edition of the Conference’s Annual Regular Session.
Ambassador Al Kaabi said: “The UAE continues to receive strong support from the international nuclear energy community in its peaceful nuclear energy program, including the role of the IAEA, the International Advisory Board (IAB) and many other world-renowned industry and advisory bodies.”
“The UAE has shown the highest level of commitment to international standards and best practice since the very start of the UAE peaceful nuclear energy program. Our nation is dedicated to creating this new industry and sustaining it long into the future as a vital element of the UAE’s low-carbon economy, in full co-operation and with the support of the international community,” added Al Kaabi.
ENEC’s CEO, Mohamed Al Hammadi said: “The collaboration between the UAE and the IAEA has resulted in significant benefits to our peaceful nuclear energy program. We value the continued support we receive from the Agency and look forward to this continuing throughout the lifetime of the Barakah plant.”
“The project at Barakah is progressing steadily, and we at ENEC are proud to have maintained our track record of safety and efficiency. Unit 1, is rapidly progressing through the commissioning process, having successfully completed numerous tests conducted under the highest standards of safety, security and quality.”
“Our work at Barakah continues to support the UAE’s energy mix strategy as well as the future social and economic growth of the UAE,” added Al Hammadi.
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is scheduled for completion in 2020, with construction having started in 2012. With four reactors online, the facility will deliver up to a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs.
The project at Barakah is progressing steadily. Overall, construction of Units 1 to 4 is now over 70 percent complete. All four units will deliver safe, clean, reliable and efficient nuclear energy to the UAE grid, pending regulatory reviews and licensing.
