The UAE, the world’s fifth-largest oil exporter, has said it planned to look into developing nuclear energy to satisfy rising electricity demand as its economy booms on record oil export revenues, straining its power grid.
Enec would accept bids for a nuclear power project from global firms until September 7 and is likely to award the contract by the end of the year, London-based weekly MEED reported.
Prospective bidders include US construction companies such as Bechtel and Australia’s WorleyParsons, MEED said.
The UAE has promised to draw up laws to govern the sector and establish a nuclear regulatory authority and an international advisory board of nuclear experts.
This year, the UAE signed deals with the US and Britain about co-operating in peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The US is at loggerheads with Iran, just across the Gulf from the UAE, over its nuclear programme and fears that it is trying to build a nuclear bomb. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful power generation.
US-based Thorium Power, which provides advisory services for emerging nuclear programmes, said on Thursday it was advising the UAE on setting up an independent nuclear regulatory agency, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation.
