The state-owned nuclear vitality group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed curiosity in supporting nuclear energy tasks 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 in regards to 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 stated have been aware of the discussions. It stated ENEC, owned by Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Co., often known as ADQ, particularly has held talks with British officers after the potential for 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 nations at COP28 agreed to a pledge to increase world nuclear energy era 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 nations have stated they need to diversify their oil-dependent economies with new sources of vitality. British officers, for his or her half, have stated they need extra non-public funding within the Sizewell C nuclear energy undertaking. Sizewell C, a undertaking led by French vitality main EDF, is being in-built southeast England. British officers in November 2022 eliminated China Normal Nuclear from building of Sizewell C, saying the UK would take a joint stake within the undertaking alongside EDF as a result 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 a vital a part of the UK’s agenda for brand spanking 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 undertaking is topic to ongoing growth and commercially delicate discussions.”
ENEC in a press release to Reuters stated that as a part of the group’s “worldwide progress and funding plans, ENEC is working with a large number of companions to discover collaboration alternatives in each new civil nuclear tasks and civil nuclear applied sciences and associated clear vitality applied sciences equivalent to clear hydrogen.” Reuters has quoted sources as saying these plans might embrace having ENEC as an funding accomplice for growth of recent nuclear vitality tasks in Europe.
Sizewell C
The Instances of London final 12 months reported that UK officers have been contemplating UAE traders for the Sizewell C undertaking. The Monetary Instances in January of this 12 months stated Britain and EDF are “on observe” to safe $25.2 billion of financing for Sizewell C by year-end 2024.
ENEC, together with Korea Electrical Energy Corp. (KEPCO), led building of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, a four-reactor facility that at full industrial operation could have 5,600 MW of era capability. The plant options 4 KEPCO-built APR-1400 reactors. The primary of the 4 items got here on-line in 2021, with subsequent items following over the previous three years.
Mohamed Al Hammadi, managing director and CEO of ENEC, in a information launch stated, “The beginning-up of the fourth unit of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant is a major achievement as we now enter into a brand new period to ship the complete promise of the Barakah Plant. Previously 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-about by extra European nations as a approach to assist meet net-zero carbon objectives, and to supply an alternative choice to energy era from Russia-sourced pure fuel after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior affiliate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).