‘’These steps included the enacting of new legislation and the establishment of competent and independent nuclear safety regulator. The construction of the first nuclear reactor in the UAE began in July 2012 following a detailed evaluation of the design by the nuclear safety regulator (FANR), which took into consideration early lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi accident. The UAE is the first country to begin construction of its first nuclear power plant in 27 years,’’ the UAE minister said in a statement at the IAEA Ministerial Conference on nuclear power in the 21st Century, which is being hosted in Russia from June 27-29.
In attendance at the conference were UAE Permanent Representative to the IAEA, under-secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Mattar Al Neyadi and representatives of the Federal Authority of Nuclear Regulation (FANR) and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec).
On the lessons learned from nuclear accident in Fukushima, the UAE minister stressed that ‘’early lessons learned should be adopted in current and future designs.
The UAE, as a policy principle, is committed to adopting lessons learned in its reactor’s design as part of its commitment to the highest standards of nuclear safety.’’ ‘’As a nuclear newcomer, the UAE highly values the international nuclear cooperation framework as a crucial platform for strengthening safety and emergency response during accidents. International conventions in the area of nuclear safety provide opportunities for exchange of experience and peer reviews with an objective to ensure and strengthen safety measures in nuclear facilities.
“The UAE is an active state-party in the review process of the convention of nuclear safety (CNS) and to the efforts aiming at strengthening its implementation. I take this opportunity to call on countries with nuclear facilities, who have not yet done so, to join and implement the safety convention at an early date.’’
The UAE, he noted, is of the view that nuclear energy can only be pursued through a responsible and transparent approach. The development of the required infrastructure is essential for the safety and sustainability of the nuclear energy sector.
