Nuclear Fuel Assemblies for the UAE


As part of its nuclear energy policy, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) made the decision to forgo domestic enrichment and reprocessing of nuclear fuel, two key elements of the country’s commitment to non-proliferation.

To obtain nuclear fuel for the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, ENEC conducted an extensive procurement competition with international nuclear fuel suppliers. This process was conducted in line with the nuclear industry’s best practices, under which several companies contract for various aspects of the fuel development process. This helps to ensure security of supply, high quality fuel and commercial advantage.

Once the procurement process was complete, ENEC entered into contracts with six suppliers to provide materials and services, including:

  • Purchase of natural uranium concentrate
  • Purchase of enriched uranium product and related products and services
  • Conversion and enrichment services

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) Nuclear Fuel, a member of the Prime Contractor’s team, manufactures the fuel assemblies in Korea. KEPCO Nuclear Fuel then ships the fuel assemblies to the UAE for use at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant.