UAE | General
Timeline: UAE nuclear development
A timeline on the UAE's nuclear programme
- Agencies
- Published: 21:55 December 27, 2009
- Image Credit: GN Archive
- Spent fuel from $20b nuclear energy programme will be returned to origin, or buried
The UAE has kicked off a civilian nuclear power programme with the award to a South Korean consortium of a $40 billion contract to build and jointly operate for 60 years a fleet of nuclear reactors.
Here is a timeline on the UAE's nuclear programme:
1995: signs International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
2003: signs IAEA agreement on nuclear safeguards.
2003: signs IAEA convention on physical protection of nuclear material.
2006: six members of Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates) commission study on peaceful use of nuclear energy.
2007: GCC agrees with IAEA to cooperate on feasibility study for a regional nuclear power and desalination plan.
2008: publishes white paper on nuclear energy;
brings in international nuclear experts to start work to establish main nuclear bodies, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC).
2009, July: bids received from three consortia shortlisted for contract to build fleet of nuclear reactors.
October 4: UAE approves federal legislation establishing FANR.
December 16: US-UAE nuclear cooperation deal comes into force. Government-to-government deals.
December 23: Abu Dhabi announces formation of ENEC.
December 27: ENEC selects Korean consortium to build first fleet of four nuclear reactors.
Led by state-owned utility Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) {015760.KS}, the consortium also comprises Hyundai Engineering and Construction {000720.KS}, Samsung C&T Corp {000830.KS}, Doosan Heavy Industries {034020.KS}, and U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric, a unit of Japan's Toshiba Corp {6502.T}.
2012: plans to begin construction of first nuclear reactor.
2017: first reactor due to start supplying power to the national grid.
2020: All four reactors in first fleet due for completion.
Beyond 2020: UAE expects to order more reactors to help meet rapidly rising power demand.
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