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HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HE President Lee Myung-Bak Visit Barakah

21.11.12

ENEC & KEPCO announce 22.75 per cent overall construction progress rate for Units 1 & 2, with project running eight weeks ahead of schedule

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, today welcomed His Excellency Lee Myung-bak, President of the Republic of Korea and praised the strong relationship and friendship between the two countries. The success of relationship between the UAE and the Republic of Korea was also reaffirmed by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

On the occasion of the visit, Sheikh Mohamed thanked President Lee for his leadership in supporting the partnership between the two nations and the development of the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy programme. His Highness praised the support of the Korean government and the contribution of various Korean companies operating in the country.

His Highness particularly noted Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), which is helping the UAE to develop a program with the highest standards in safety, security, and quality, as the nation meets its future energy needs. The two dignitaries visited Barakah, the selected site of the UAE peaceful nuclear energy program, today to view progress on the project.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Excellency Lee Myung-bak were updated on the key milestones and accomplishments achieved by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and the project’s prime contractor, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), over the last year. The visit also provided an opportunity to witness the construction progress of Units 1 & 2 at Barakah.

ENEC and KEPCO reported that they have made a strong start on construction work, following regulatory approval. The companies said that they have completed 22.75 per cent of overall construction, putting the project more than two months ahead of schedule. His Highness noted that the impressive progress achieved to date would not have been possible without President Lee’s foresight and strong commitment.

The dignitaries received updates from ENEC and KEPCO officials in a series of key areas:

  • Safety officials reported on the advancements in occupational health, nuclear safety and the alignment of key performance indicators to international best practice.
  • Licensing and permitting officials reported on the achievement of the Construction License for Units 1 & 2 from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) and the No Objection Certificate from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD).
  • Nuclear fuel officials reported on the successful award of nuclear fuel supply contracts that will provide fuel requirements for the first 15 years of operations, securing more than 450 million KWh to power the growth of the UAE.
  • External affairs and communications officials reported on the positive results of the variety of communications campaigns and stakeholder engagement strategies, which have contributed to positive perceptions of nuclear energy across UAE citizens.
  • Human resources officials announced that ENEC has achieved 65 per cent Emiratization and reported on the achievements of the ENEC’s Energy Pioneers initiative, the corporation’s academic scholarship program to support the next generation of Emirati nuclear specialists.

In addition, a group of Emirati students enrolled in the ENEC’s Energy Pioneers program, had the opportunity to meet HH General Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HE Lee Myung-bak and spoke to them about their experiences as students of the program.

The visit also included a concrete pouring celebration in which His Highness and President Lee initiated a concrete pour for what will one day form a portion of the reactor containment building. The pouring of safety-related concrete at Barakah began in July 2012, following the approval of the Construction License by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation and the NOC from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.

“The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation is honored to host His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and His Excellency Lee Myung-bak, President of the Republic of Korea,” said Mohamed Al Hammadi, ENEC CEO. “The visit is an important milestone for ENEC as it reflects the continued strong support to the program from the leadership of both the UAE and the Republic of Korea.

“We are delighted to be able to report such strong progress on the project. Our partner KEPCO has brought world-class expertise to this project, ensuring that we meet our goal of delivering the gold standard of peaceful nuclear energy development.”

“We share the vision to construct and operate the Barakah plants in adherence to the highest standards of safety and quality and will continue to progress on the achievements of our program” said Jun Yeon Byun, Executive Vice President of KEPCO.

ENEC is scheduled to submit the construction license application for Units 3 & 4 to the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) before the end of this year.