UAE licences third unit of Barakah nuclear power plant

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, the regulatory body responsible for regulating the nuclear sector in the United Arab Emirates, announced on Friday the issuance of a licence to operate the third unit of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant for the Nawah Energy Company, a subsidiary of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, which in turn is responsible for operating the plant located in Al Dhafra region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Under the license, Nawah Energy will be authorised to operate the third unit of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant for the next 60 years.

The issuance of the operating licence comes as a culmination of the efforts made by the authority since it received the application for a license from Nawah Company for the third and fourth units in 2017.

The authority conducted a systematic review process for the issuance of the operating licence for the third unit following the issuance of the operating licenses for the first and second units, which included a comprehensive evaluation of the documents attached to the application, the application of strict control measures, in addition to conducting thorough inspections of the station.

The evaluation process included a review of the nuclear plant's design, and a geographical and demographic analysis of its location.

The evaluation process also included a review of the nuclear reactor's design, cooling and safety systems, security measures, emergency preparedness procedures, radioactive waste management, and other technical aspects.

The authority also reviewed the readiness of Nawat Company, as the company responsible for operating in terms of institutional and manpower, and to ensure that all necessary procedures and measures are in place to ensure safety and security standards at the nuclear power plant.

The authority reviewed the 14,000-page license application for the third and fourth units, and conducted more than 120 inspections and requested additional information for the third unit on various topics, including reactor design, safety and security factors, and others to ensure compliance with all regulatory standards.

Ambassador Hamad Al Kaabi, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the International Atomic Energy Agency and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, said: “Today’s announcement represents a significant milestone in the UAE’s path, being the first Arab country to operate a nuclear power plant, and it is a culmination of efforts This achievement was achieved thanks to the vision of the UAE and its leadership to build a peaceful nuclear energy program to meet the country’s energy needs in the future.”