Work carried out at the UAE’s nuclear power plants is impressive in both quality and safety, according to an international nuclear energy expert.
Commissioner Kristine Svinicki, of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was speaking on a visit to the Barakah site on Wednesday.
She was taken on a tour of the site where the country’s first nuclear power plants are being built in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec).
“The UAE indeed has an inspiring story to tell about their nuclear energy project,” she said. “It truly makes it a model for other nations to follow.”
Mohammed Al Hammadi, Enec’s chief executive, showed off different project sites, including the cement batch plant, the marine work site, units 1 and 2 and the engineering office.
“She was very complimentary of the progress,” said Fahad Al Qahtani, Enec’s external communications director. “The UAE is keen on being transparent and we always look forward to receiving nuclear experts from around the world.”
He said the commission was one of the most expert organisations in nuclear technology and the nuclear energy industry.
“It was an honour and an opportunity to get her comments, feedback and questions and hopefully learn from her visit as well as showcase the project’s progress, of which we are very proud,” said Mr Al Qahtani.
Ms Svinicki spoke at the international nuclear energy conference in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
“As was stated just last month by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs here in the UAE, ‘The UAE has adopted strong, transparent measures into the design of its nuclear programme’ because the credibility of any nuclear energy programme is linked directly to the level of domestic and international confidence in the safety, security and peaceful nature of the programme,” she said. “Such credibility, he said, is the key for long-term success and sustainability.”
Ms Svinicki said the UAE managed to overcome challenges by seeking out experience and knowledge from nations with a long history of civil nuclear experience.
Enec recently achieved another construction milestone for Barakah Unit 1. Construction of Barakah Unit 2 is under way and will take five years to build, with a scheduled entry for commercial operation in 2018.
Enec plans to apply for an operating licence for units 1 and 2 in 2015 and, with four plants operational by 2020, nuclear energy is expected to deliver up to a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs, saving up to 12 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
cmalek@thenational.ae
