Lightbridge and Lloyd’s Register Energy have jointly received a contract to support the UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) in the inspection of four nuclear plants in the country.
Under the multi-year contract, the team will provide quality assurance, as well as safety and construction inspection services during the construction, installation and commissioning stages of the four nuclear power plants in Abu Dhabi, in support of the in-house inspection team of the independent nuclear regulatory agency.
The contracted work scope is scheduled to be determined in the fourth quarter.
“Our strategic planning and ongoing support to the UAE’s nuclear regulatory agency have helped guide that nuclear programme to the highest standards of safety, security and safeguards.”
A developer of nuclear technologies and an adviser on nuclear programmes, Lightbridge has been working with FANR since 2009.
Lightbridge president and CEO Seth Grae said: “Our strategic planning and ongoing support to the UAE’s nuclear regulatory agency have helped guide that nuclear programme to the highest standards of safety, security and safeguards.”
FANR has approved the construction of Barakah Units 1 and 2 in July 2012 and the construction of Unit 1 began immediately.
Being built by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), Unit 1 is scheduled to become operational in 2017 while the other three reactors will be operational by 2020.
The ENEC plans to apply for an operating licence for Unit 1 in 2015.
The plants will produce approximately 25% of UAE’s electricity and are estimated to save up to 12 million tons of CO² emissions a year.
The ENEC has selected Kepco’s Generation III, 1400MW nuclear energy plants APR1400 that are designed to withstand extreme events such as tsunamis, earthquakes and station blackouts.
Energy requirement in the UAE is said to be growing at an annual rate of approximately 9%, which is three times the global average.
