UAE to operate its 1st N-reactor in ’18
abu dhabi — The UAE will “definitely” operate its first of four nuclear reactors in 2018, according to Suhail Al Mazroui, the Minister of Energy.
Addressing a Press conference on Monday, Al Mazroui said: “We can say that next year is definitely going to be the year for opening the first nuclear reactor. We are trying to do it as fast as possible, but at the same time we have to be 100 per cent safe, 100 per cent in accordance with all the regulators.”
The minister added that the four reactors will supply 24-25 per cent of the UAE’s electricity. The first reactor, which is 96 per cent complete, is located in the Barakah plant in Al Dhafra, the world’s largest single nuclear project. All four reactors will have the capacity of 5,600 megawatts of electricity.
“For a country that has never done a nuclear project, I think to be almost on time, with a six-month delay, is remarkable.”
He said the nuclear strategy was a strategic choice for the UAE, as the world focuses on moving towards clean and renewable energy. Around 1,400 companies took part in the nuclear project and contributed around $3 billion. The total cost of the project reached $20 billion (Dh73.4 billion).
He said the International Ministerial Nuclear Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century is set to kick off in Abu Dhabi next month.
Hamad Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador
We can say that next year is definitely going to be the year for opening the first nuclear reactor. We are trying to do it as fast as possible, but at the same time we have to be 100 per cent safe.” Suhail Al Mazroui, Minister of Energy
to Austria and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said he hopes next month’s conference will shed light on how countries must address the challenges associated with nuclear power. “The role of nuclear power today is significant, it provides almost 11 per cent of the world electricity, we have almost 449 reactors around the world and more than 30 countries are planning to expand their programmes.”