By Bernhard Schell, InDepthNews*, Dubai – Nearly one year after the launch of a nuclear fuel procurement competition in July 2011, the oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE) has started an ambitious atomic power program.

UAE nuclear power plant | Credit: Enec
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) has awarded six contracts related to the supply of natural uranium concentrates, conversion and enrichment services, and the purchase of enriched uranium product.
UAE was founded in 1971, comprising seven states, which were under British rule. The federation includes Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Abu Dhabi city is the federal capital of UAE, and Abu Dhabi emirate accounts for 86% of the land area of UAE, and 95% of its oil. Dubai is the UAE’s largest city.
Enec estimates that the contracts are worth some $3 billion and will enable the Barakah nuclear power plant to generate up to 450 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity over a 15-year period starting in 2017, when the first of four units at the plant is scheduled to begin operating.
Enec has signed agreements with both France’s Areva and Russia’s Techsnabexport (Tenex). They will provide services across the front-end of the fuel cycle, including the supply of uranium concentrates as well as conversion and enrichment services.
read more »
Like this:
Like Loading...