Britain hopes nuclear deal with UAE will prompt close collaboration

Britain wants to work with the UAE to revive atomic energy after both countries backed a pledge at Cop28 to triple the world’s nuclear power capacity by 2050.

Andrew Bowie, Britain’s undersecretary of state for nuclear and networks, held talks with UAE officials at the summit, and signed an agreement with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation.

“We’re doing a lot with the UAE,” Mr Bowie told The National. “There’s a lot of collaboration on future nuclear fuels, on exchange of ideas, of personnel, of technologies, and we’re seeking to further deepen that co-operation.”

He praised the Emirates’ work to develop the Barakah power station, and said the two nations shared an “ambitious and forward-leaning” nuclear policy.

“It makes sense to have the UAE as a partner on this because they too recognise the importance of nuclear in terms of delivering our ambitions on net zero, combating climate change and developing the economies of our two respective countries,” he said.

Britain is in the process of building a nuclear power station, Hinkley Point C, projected to open in 2027, and hopes to secure investment for a second, the £20 billion ($25.46 billion) Sizewell C.

The Dubai deal could assure investors that nuclear energy has a bright future and that funding a plant such as Sizewell C would not cause trouble with regulators.

Also under discussion is a new generation of small modular reactors – windmill-sized nuclear plants that could power standalone sites like factories.

The UK-UAE deal mentions these plants as an area for co-operation, with Britain looking to export models developed by Rolls-Royce.

The company hopes to bring them to market by 2030 and has suggested they could be used to produce sustainable aviation fuel.

“That could be done here in the UAE, supplying [sustainable aviation] fuel for UAE airlines, achieving the emissions reduction benefit and keeping the economics for the airlines and the travelling public still viable,” Rolls-Royce’s Middle East president John Kelly told The National before Cop28.

Mr Bowie is confident the public will embrace small nuclear reactors.

“We’re in a moment right now where, in the UK at least, nuclear is seen as a net positive and a contributor towards our net-zero goals, combating climate change and becoming more energy independent,” he said.

“In every nation and region, in every demographic, every age group within the UK, nuclear is seen as net positive, and SMR is part of that. I do believe that’s the case across most countries across the world as well.”