Abu Dhabi: The first of four nuclear reactors currently being built by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) is 61 per cent complete, and is on track to start supply in 2017, according to Mohammad Al Hammadi, chief executive officer at Enec.
The project, with a total value of $20 billion (Dh73.46 billion), was fully funded by the Abu Dhabi government, and is set to provide 5,600 megawatts of energy, with each plant providing 1,400 megawatts.
Over 50 per cent of the second reactor has also been completed. The concrete work for unit three has already started this year following the approval from the federal authority, while concrete work for the fourth unit is scheduled to start next year.
Al Hammadi discussed the progress of the reactors at the ninth annual Abu Dhabi Energy, Industry, and Infrastructure Conference, which was held on Monday.
While the company is now focused on its four units, it might consider adding more reactors should the government decide there is high demand for nuclear energy. By 2020, the reactors are expected to provide 25 per cent of the UAE’s energy need, and thus shift away dependence on oil and gas, Enec officials said.
As for safe disposal of the uranium, the UAE is yet to decide on its policy on that matter.
“There are many different options. For short term, there are the spent fuel pools; for medium term, there [are] dry casks above ground at the site of the reactor; and the long-term option is underground repositories and fuel lease options. The UAE government is looking into all these options, and we’re waiting for the final policy,” said Fahd Al Qah’tani, group external affairs director at Enec.
He added that for the project, the short-term was a period of 20 years, while medium-term was 100 years, which means there is plenty of time to make the decision.
Around three years ago, Enec signed contracts worth $3 billion with six different companies for nuclear fuels for the next 15 years. The companies are based in France, Russia, UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
