Expert Shares Insight into UAE’s Development of Nuclear Power Plant from the Ground Up
Former FANR director of nuclear safety emphasized the importance of selecting a builder with the right expertise and a mature supply chain.
A nuclear expert has uncovered that clear government policy leadership, effective program management, and proper builder selection are three critical factors that enabled the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to successfully erect a nuclear power plant from scratch in just over a decade.
In 2009, the UAE embarked on an ambitious program to construct the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world. At that time, the country lacked nuclear expertise.
After a thorough bidding process, the UAE opted for a consortium led by the Korea Electric Power Corporation to build the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which houses four APR-1400 nuclear reactors in the Gharbiya region.
Construction commenced in 2012, with the first reactor completed towards the end of 2018 and operational by 2020.
The project was formally completed in September of this year when the fourth reactor began commercial operation.
Currently, Barakah caters to about 25 percent of the UAE’s electricity demands.
How the UAE Constructed a Nuclear Power Plant
During a recent inquiry hearing on nuclear power, Ian Grant, an energy consultant instrumental in establishing the UAE’s nuclear regulatory framework, shed light on the project’s development process.
Grant, who served as the director of nuclear safety and subsequently as the deputy director general for operations at the UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) from 2009 to 2018, elucidated the country’s initial establishment of a nuclear regulatory body, the FANR, to formulate nuclear policies in compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) guidelines.
“During that time, the regulatory body was built from the ground up: developed, hired experts, secured technical support contracts, and organized its internal affairs to be well-prepared for reviewing construction licenses and plans,” he conveyed to the Select Committee on Nuclear Energy.
It took slightly over two years from FANR’s publishing of nuclear policies to the project operator obtaining the first construction license.
