ENEC, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, said Monday that it had received license to manage the transportation of nuclear fuel from the United Arab Emirates Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), marking a regulatory threshold that has been reached.
“ENEC and Nawah (the energy company that will operate the Barakah nuclear power plant when it is completed) are pleased to have been awarded the Fuel Transportation License and the Fuel Handling and Storage License from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR),” the company announced. “Together with the Nuclear Fuel Possession License and the Nuclear Fuel Import License which were awarded previously, the two licenses obtained recently demonstrate our readiness to transport and handle new nuclear fuel assemblies (i.e. unirradiated fuel).”
FANR’s review and approval of these licenses comes after a thorough assessment and inspection to ensure that ENEC and the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant meet the stringent requirements for receiving nuclear fuel into the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The approval comes in time for the start up of the country's nuclear reactor, Barakah 1, which is scheduled for operation sometime this year, although Nawah is still short one permit, which would allow the operator to load the first reactor at the site with fuel.
According to the World Nuclear Association, there are four reactors planned for Bakarah with the plant now 75 percent completed. The site will be home to four South Korean-designed APR1400 reactors. Construction is being led by the Korean Electric Power Company. Kepco Nuclear Fuels is contracted to furnish fuel for the new plant.