UAE | Government

UAE to set up Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, reiterates UAE's commitment to non-proliferation with launch of white paper.

  • By Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 17:29 April 20, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister.
  • Image Credit: Supplied Picture
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Abu Dhabi: The UAE's rapid economic growth and a predicted shortage in natural gas, calls for diversifying the country's energy sources, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, said on Sunday.

"We recognise that this growth will require continued access to affordable energy, and for this reason the United Arab Emirates has begun to evaluate the potential contribution of peaceful nuclear energy to its future domestic energy mix," he explained to key officials at the launch of a white paper on the nation's nuclear programme.

Cooperation

Shaikh Abdullah also announced the appointment of Hamad Al Ka'abi as Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Nuclear Cooperation.

While the white paper, "Policy of the United Arab Emirates on the Evaluation and Potential Development of Peaceful Nuclear Energy", acknowledges that fossil fuels and coal could meet the country's energy demands, it considers their economical and environmental cost too high to rely on alone.

A study conducted by the federal government revealed that demand for electricity will increase to more than double the current demand of 15,546 megawatts (MW) of energy. Known volumes of natural gas, it stated, would be insufficient to meet the future demand.

Based on the plans for the nation, the growth in the economy and infrastructure, the government predicts that 40,858 MW of energy will be required to meet demand by 2020, reflecting a cumulative annual growth in demand of approximately 9 per cent.

Shaikh Abdullah justified the economic viability of the nuclear programme: "Assessments by government entities have shown that the generation of one kilowatt hour of electricity from a nuclear reactor would cost less than one-third of what it would cost to produce the same kilowatt hour using a crude-oil-fired power plant".

Concern for the environment was also on the agenda. Shaikh Abdullah said that generating a single kilowatt hour using a nuclear power plant rather than a crude-oil-fired power plant would reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by approximately 726 grams.

He pointed out that the UAE government has ensured not to emulate nuclear programmes of other countries and, instead, come up with an approach suitable for the UAE through consultations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the governments of France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

The use of alternative energy, too, has not been ruled out, but the paper points out that it can only be relied on to meet a small percentage of the 2020 demand. "Evaluation of alternative energy sources, including solar and wind power, suggested that, while these options could be deployed within the UAE, even aggressive development could only supply 6 to 7% of peak electricity demand by 2020," it states.

Therefore, the paper states, "nuclear power generation emerged as a proven, environmentally promising and commercially competitive option which could make a significant base-load contribution to the UAE's economy and energy security."

An emphasis on safety was outlined by the white paper, with mention of the future establishment of a regulatory authority that would be charged with overseeing all activities in the nuclear sector.

The paper highlights the UAE's commitment to safety citing the government's signing of two safety conventions in 1987 following the Chernobyl incident.

Through its nuclear programme, the UAE also hopes to serve as an example in establishing "a new model by which non-nuclear states may explore and potentially deploy nuclear energy with the support and confidence of the international community".

Shaikh Abdullah reiterated the UAE's stand on nuclear proliferation in the region, saying the government's policy is fully consistent with its support for the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and the UAE's support "for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction".

Treaties: Safeguards

Non-proliferation instruments concluded by the UAE

  • IAEA Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1995)
  • IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (2003)
  • IAEA Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (2003)
  • UN Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (2000)
  • UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004)
  • UN International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005)
  • Non-proliferation instruments to be concluded by UAE
  • IAEA Additional Protocol to Safeguards Agreement*
  • IAEA Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection*
  • NSG Export Guidelines (to be concluded)

* to be concluded in tandem with the UAE's evaluation of nuclear energy.

Source: Policy of the United Arab Emirates on the Evaluation and Potential Development of Peaceful Nuclear Energy

Click here to see the document on UAE's policy on peaceful nuclear energy

The following is the full text of the speech:

"Your Highnesses, Your Excellencies, honoured guests, thank you for your attendance at this public launch of the Policy of the United Arab Emirates on the Evaluation and Potential Development of Peaceful Nuclear Energy.

As we meet today to introduce this policy to the international community and domestic entities that will have a role in its ultimate implementation, we are surrounded by reminders of the dramatic progress that has been achieved within the emirates since the founding of the Federation in 1971.

In the midst of all this development, as reflected clearly by the spectacular boom in construction and by massive industrial complexes and world-class infrastructure, we pray for God's compassion upon the founding father of this nation, the late President, Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who built a modern and advanced state in order to ensure the prosperity of future generations.

Under the conscientious direction of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates continues its rapid pace of economic and social development. According to the International Monetary Fund, Gross Domestic Product for the United Arab Emirates grew by 9.4 per cent in 2006, and the forecast for the future includes continued robust growth. However, we recognize that this growth will require continued access to affordable energy, and for this reason, the United Arab Emirates has begun to evaluate the potential contribution of peaceful nuclear energy to its future domestic energy mix.

In-depth studies carried out by government entities have shown that nuclear energy represents a commercially competitive and environmentally friendly option for the secure generation of electricity in the United Arab Emirates, particularly in light of projected future shortages of natural gas. For instance, internal assessments by government entities have shown that the generation of one kilo-watt hour of electricity from a nuclear reactor would cost less than one-third of what it would cost to produce the same kilo-watt hour using a crude-oil fired power plant. At the same time, generating that single kilo-watt hour using a nuclear power plant, rather than a crude oil-fired power plant, would reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by approximately 726 grams. Taking into account the millions of kilo-watt hours of electricity generated each day within the United Arab Emirates, we can begin to grasp the significant benefits that would accrue to the nation from the use of peaceful nuclear energy.

Nevertheless, the Government of the United Arab Emirates recognises the special circumstances and considerations that surround not only the deployment of nuclear reactors, but also the simple evaluation of such a possibility.

Accordingly, the government of the United Arab Emirates wishes to make clear its peaceful and unambiguous objectives in respect both of its current evaluation of a peaceful nuclear energy programme as well as the potential future deployment of actual nuclear power generation facilities within its territory. To accomplish this objective, the Government has developed and is launching a formal policy document describing its approach to the evaluation and potential development of a peaceful domestic nuclear energy programme.

Before describing the substance of this policy, I would like to briefly touch upon the process via which it was developed. First, I would note that the Government's approach to this task borrowed from the example set by the founding father of the United Arab Emirates. Rather than simply accepting the conventional approach of other nuclear states, we have asked ourselves how that approach could be improved to foster a better environment for the future. In that spirit, we launched wide-spread consultations with numerous parties, including the International Atomic Energy Agency and the governments of France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, Germany, Japan and South Korea. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly express our appreciation to these parties for their assistance and valuable insights.

Second, we embraced a set of guiding principles, including:

1. Complete operational transparency
2. The highest standards of nonproliferation
3. The highest standards of safety and security
4. Close coordination with the IAEA
5. Cooperation with the governments and firms of responsible nuclear supplier nations
6. A commitment to long-term sustainability

These principles have led us to adopt a series of commitments and strategies which are outlined in the policy document and which we believe constitute a useful model via which, not only the United Arab Emirates, but other non-nuclear states could pursue the benefits of peaceful nuclear power with the full backing and confidence of their domestic populations and the wider international community.

Some of the salient points of these commitments and strategies include a determination by the Government of the United Arab Emirates to conclude a number of pertinent international agreements, including:

• The IAEA Additional Protocol
• The IAEA Convention on Nuclear Safety
• The IAEA Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and
• The IAEA Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management.

In an effort to limit the danger of proliferation, the Government of the UAE has also adopted a policy renouncing the development of any domestic enrichment or reprocessing capabilities in favor of long-term arrangements for the external supply of nuclear fuel.

The Government will also be establishing the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, which, in accordance with IAEA guidance, will serve as the nation's Nuclear Energy Programme Implementation Organization. Further, the Government will form an International Advisory Board made up of recognized experts in nuclear nonproliferation, safety, security and infrastructure development.

Of course, prior to taking any steps toward the establishment of actual nuclear power plants upon its territory, the government of the United Arab Emirates will establish an independent federal regulatory authority to oversee all aspects related to nuclear energy.

Finally, and in an effort to facilitate further cooperation with responsible nuclear supplier states, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Hamad Al Ka'abi as the Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Nuclear Cooperation.

It is our belief that the principles, commitments and strategies outlined in the UAE policy on the evaluation and potential development of peaceful nuclear energy not only demonstrate the peaceful and transparent intentions of the United Arab Emirates, but also represent the optimal manner in which the benefits of peaceful nuclear energy can be made available to the citizens of the United Arab Emirates.

Further, this policy is fully consistent with the UAE's longstanding support for the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as well as the UAE's support for a Middle East region completely free of all forms of weapons of mass destruction.

Before concluding, I would like to note that all of those UAE officials and entities present at this event will have a role in transforming this policy into a reality. As such, I urge each of you to disseminate the document that you are about to receive within your organizations to ensure that our efforts in this area are well coordinated at all levels and consistent with the pledges and aspirations outlined within this policy document.

Thank you in advance for your support of this initiative and for your attendance here today."

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