Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC)
Company typeWholly owned government corporation
IndustryNuclear energy
Founded2009
Headquarters
Abu Dhabi
,
United Arab Emirates
Key people
Mohamed Al Hammadi
ProductsElectric power
Heat
Number of employees
1400 +
Websitewww.enec.gov.ae

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC, مؤسسة الإمارات للطاقة النووية) is the entity responsible for the deployment and ownership of nuclear energy plants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

ENEC was established by decree in December 2009 by the UAE President Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to address the country's growing demand for electricity while diversifying the nation's energy supply and delivering greater energy security.

The organization is constructing the country's first nuclear energy reactors in Barakah, in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, and by 2020, the site will be home to four APR-1400 nuclear energy plants. Unit 1 is scheduled to enter commercial operations in 2020, with one additional reactor coming online each year until 2020 - pending regulatory approvals.[1]

Construction for Unit 1 began in July 2012[2] following the first pouring of nuclear safety concrete, and for Unit 2 in May 2013, in line with the approved Construction License[3] from ENEC's national regulator the Federal Authority of Nuclear Regulation (FANR) [4] and a No Objection Certificate from Abu Dhabi's environmental regulator, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD).

Major milestones in the development of the program so far include the completion and installation of the Containment Liner Plate (CLP) in the Unit 1 Reactor Containment Building (RCB) in November 2013;[5] the installation of the Unit 1 Condenser in February 2014;[6] and the setting of the nation's first nuclear energy Reactor Vessel (RV) in May 2014.[7]

In September 2014, ENEC also celebrated the pouring of the first safety concrete for the Reactor Containment Building (RCB) for Unit 3.[8] This milestone followed the receipt of the Construction License for Units 3 & 4 from FANR earlier that month.[9]

In April 2014, ENEC inaugurated its Simulator Training Centre (STC) at Barakah,[10] which houses two simulators identical to the plant's main control room. The STC uses advanced technology to replicate control room conditions in real time, in order to prepare ENEC operators for the start of commercial operations.

In 2016, Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), was established as a subsidiary of ENEC to operate and maintain Units 1 to 4 at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant. [11]

On 16 February 2020, Nawah Energy Company received its operating license from the Federal Authority of Nuclear Regulation making the UAE the first country in the Arab region to operate a nuclear power plant.[12]

The organization is led by its chief executive officer, Mohamed Al Hammadi,[13] under a board of directors consisting of leading UAE executives and international energy experts.[14]

  1. ^ "Regulatory Filings". Enec.gov.ae. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  2. ^ Say, Ty (2012-07-20). "Construction starts on UAE's first nuclear plant". Arabian Business. ArabianBusiness.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  3. ^ "Official Statement in Response to Construction License Award from FANR". Enec.gov.ae. 2012-07-18. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  4. ^ "Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation | الهيئة الإتحادية للرقابة النووية". Fanr.gov.ae. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  5. ^ "Enec completes vast inner wall at UAE nuclear reactor | The National". Thenational.ae. 2013-11-06. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  6. ^ "Condenser installed at Abu Dhabi nuclear plant | The National". Thenational.ae. 2014-02-18. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  7. ^ "Barakah 1 reactor vessel delivered". World-nuclear-news.org. 2014-05-30. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  8. ^ "Construction starts on third Barakah unit". World-nuclear-news.org. 2014-09-25. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  9. ^ "Abu Dhabi gets licence for third and fourth reactors at Barakah | The National". Thenational.ae. 2014-09-15. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  10. ^ "Nuclear plant training simulator centre opens in Western Region | The National". Thenational.ae. 2014-04-21. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  11. ^ Nawah Website. "Nawah Overview".
  12. ^ World Nuclear News. "Barakah 1 receives operating licence".
  13. ^ "Mohamed Al Hammadi". Enec.gov.ae. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
  14. ^ "Board of Directors". Enec.gov.ae. Retrieved 2015-03-30.