The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (Enec) and Westinghouse Electric Company in the US have signed a preliminary agreement to boost the use of advanced nuclear energy solutions in America.
Under the agreement, the companies will explore ways to accelerate the use of the AP1000 nuclear reactor in the US, Enec said in a statement on Friday.
They will also work together to build and restart projects in the US, develop commercial and operational deployment models for AP1000 reactors, and fuel supply chains, operations and maintenance services.
The agreement, signed in Washington, is aligned with US priorities to quadruple the nation’s nuclear power generation by 2050 to meet rising energy demand, including from the expansion of artificial intelligence and the technology sector.
“The world is turning to nuclear energy as a necessity for delivering clean and reliable baseload electricity to meet power demand in parallel with protecting the grid,” said Mohamed Al Hammadi, managing director and chief executive of Enec.
“This marks a significant step in supporting the US’s bold ambitions to rapidly expand its nuclear fleet.”
Nuclear power is regarded as clean energy because it does not create the same emissions as fossil fuels. The UAE government seeks to hit a 2030 target of generating 30 per cent of its energy from clean sources, including renewable energy and nuclear power.
The four units of Enec’s flagship Barakah nuclear energy plant are generating 40 terawatt-hours of clean electricity a year for the UAE. The plant generates about 25 per cent of the nation’s electricity.
Enec, part of Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ, is now looking beyond the Barakah plant as it seeks to capitalise on its expertise on large-scale plant development, advanced reactors, research and development and clean molecules.
As part of its strategy, Enec is pursuing opportunities for investment, collaboration and deployment of nuclear technology internationally to boost energy security and sustainability, the statement said.
Watch: Former US energy secretary praises UAE's building of nuclear reactors
In May this year, the UAE company teamed up with GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy to jointly evaluate the deployment of the BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology internationally.
Enec is a member of the World Association of Nuclear Operators and is aligned on US operating standards and its regulatory environment.
“The US has a bold vision to have 10 large-scale nuclear reactors under construction by 2030,” said Dan Sumner, interim chief executive of Westinghouse.
The company provides nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. It supplied the world’s first commercial pressurised water reactor in 1957.
