The state-owned nuclear vitality group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed curiosity in supporting nuclear energy initiatives in Europe. The information comes simply weeks after the fourth unit of the emirate’s solely nuclear energy plant, the Barakah station (a POWER Prime Plant in 2021), started delivering electrical energy to the grid.
The Khaleej Instances, a Center East information service, on March 29 reported that UAE officers have talked with European leaders concerning the prospect of the Emirates Nuclear Power Co. (ENEC) taking a minority funding function in nuclear energy belongings throughout Europe. The information service cited three sources who it mentioned had been accustomed to the discussions. It mentioned ENEC, owned by Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Co., often called ADQ, particularly has held talks with British officers after the potential of investing in that nation.
The UAE and Britain in December of final 12 months signed a memorandum of understanding on civil nuclear cooperation on the United Nations COP28 local weather summit in Dubai. Greater than 20 international locations at COP28 agreed to a pledge to broaden international nuclear energy technology capability by 2050.
Diversifying Power
The UAE and its neighbor, Saudi Arabia, are among the many world’s main oil and fuel producers, and each international locations have mentioned they need to diversify their oil-dependent economies with new sources of vitality. British officers, for his or her half, have mentioned they need extra non-public funding within the Sizewell C nuclear energy venture. Sizewell C, a venture led by French vitality main EDF, is being in-built southeast England. British officers in November 2022 eliminated China Normal Nuclear from development of Sizewell C, saying the UK would take a joint stake within the venture alongside EDF because of strained relations with the Chinese language authorities.
The Reuters information service quoted a spokesperson for the UK’s Dept. of Power Safety and Web Zero as saying, “Sizewell C is an important a part of the UK’s agenda for brand new nuclear energy, which is central to our plans for reaching a low price, clear and safe electrical energy system. The industrial construction of the venture is topic to ongoing improvement and commercially delicate discussions.”
ENEC in a press release to Reuters mentioned that as a part of the group’s “worldwide progress and funding plans, ENEC is working with a mess of companions to discover collaboration alternatives in each new civil nuclear initiatives and civil nuclear applied sciences and associated clear vitality applied sciences comparable to clear hydrogen.” Reuters has quoted sources as saying these plans might embrace having ENEC as an funding associate for improvement of recent nuclear vitality initiatives in Europe.
Sizewell C
The Instances of London final 12 months reported that UK officers have been contemplating UAE traders for the Sizewell C venture. The Monetary Instances in January of this 12 months mentioned Britain and EDF are “on monitor” to safe $25.2 billion of financing for Sizewell C by year-end 2024.
ENEC, together with Korea Electrical Energy Corp. (KEPCO), led development of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, a four-reactor facility that at full industrial operation can have 5,600 MW of technology capability. The plant options 4 KEPCO-built APR-1400 reactors. The primary of the 4 models got here on-line in 2021, with subsequent models following over the previous three years.
Mohamed Al Hammadi, managing director and CEO of ENEC, in a information launch mentioned, “The beginning-up of the fourth unit of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant is a big achievement as we now enter into a brand new period to ship the complete promise of the Barakah Plant. Up to now 5 years, the UAE has added extra clear electrical energy per capita than some other nation globally, with 75% coming solely from the Barakah Plant, demonstrating how pivotal nuclear vitality is in decarbonizing the nation’s energy sector.”
Nuclear energy is being thought of by extra European international locations as a manner to assist meet net-zero carbon objectives, and to supply a substitute for energy technology from Russia-sourced pure fuel after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior affiliate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).
