Hamad Alkaabi

Permanent Representative of the UAE to the IAEA

UAE Nuclear Power Programme Case

TM on Topical Issues on Infrastructure Development:

Nuclear Power Project Development in Emerging Nuclear Power

States

Vienna, 11-14 February 2013

Content

• UAE nuclear Policy and Strategy formulation

• International Commitments

• Programme Management Structure

• Establishment of the Regulator

• Establishing the operator

• Status of the Construction of the first NPP

• Human Resources Development

• Public Outreach

• Working with the IAEA

• Concluding Remarks

UAE Nuclear Power Programme: The Big Picture

Energy Planning Study

Nuclear Policy

First unit followed by sustainable program

Infrastructure Development

2006 2008 2017

UAE Electricity Demand

18593

21548

24126

27323

29444 31211

32814 34238

35881 37394

39104 40858

15546 13224

11742

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

MW

Total UAE Committed Capacity Total UAE Projected Demand

Energy Demand and Supply Study Results

Conclusion : Nuclear power is a proven, environmentally

attractive and cost-competitive electricity-generation option

Available natural gas volumes will be insufficient

Reliance on burning liquids will have high economic costs and poor environmental performance

Traditional coal-fired plants will negatively affect the environment and the security of supply of the UAE’s electricity sector

Renewable technologies will meet only a small portion of future demand

UAE Policy Formulation

• Determination that peaceful nuclear energy

represents a potentially valuable option for the

UAE

• Development of guiding principles by UAE

Government

• Establishment of NEPIO

• Wide consultation process

• UAE Nuclear Energy policy launched in April,

2008

Make clear its peaceful & unambiguous

objectives

Nuclear power represent only one of several

alternatives to meet future energy needs

Denouncement of enrichment and

reprocessing in the UAE

Hope to establish a new model for the

introduction of nuclear energy with full

support and confidence of the international

community

Policy Principles

• Complete operational transparency

• Highest standards of non-proliferation

• Highest standards of safety and security

• Close cooperation with the IAEA

• Partnership with governments and firms of responsible nations

• Long-term sustainability

UAE Policy Formulation: Follow IAEA Guidance on infrastructure & support by IAEA

services

• National position

• Nuclear safety

• Management structure

• Legislative framework

• Regulatory framework

• Financing

• Human Resource Development

• Safeguards

• Security and physical protection

• Emergency planning

19 Elements assessed

IAEA documents used in programme

development

Milestones in the Development of a

National Nuclear Infrastructure

Safety Standards

Security guidance

Nuclear law handbooks

INSAG reports

Safeguards agreements

• Radiation protection

• Nuclear Fuel cycle

• Nuclear Waste

• Environmental protection

• Site and supporting facilities

• Industrial involvement

• Procurement

• Electric grid

• Stakeholder involvement

A Roadmap document was designed to translate the milestones of a successful nuclear power program (as identified by the IAEA) into an implementation plan customized to meet the needs of the UAE

The Nuclear Policy and the Nuclear Law

UAE International Commitments : In 2008 , before deciding on Nuclear Power

UAE Party to :

• Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 1995

• IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, 2003

• Convention on Physical Protection of NM, 2003

• UN Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, 2000

• Implementing UN Security Council Res. 1540, 2004

• UN Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, 2005

• Early Notification & Assistance Conventions, 1987

Additional International Commitments following the decision for Nuclear Power

To meet the Policy commitments on transparency and international

cooperation the UAE has:

• Ratified the Additional Protocol to the safeguards agreement,

2010;

• Become a party to:

Amendment to Convention on the Physical Protection of

Nuclear Material;

Convention on Nuclear Safety;

Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management

and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

Illicit Trafficking Data Base of the IAEA

• Adhered to Amendment Protocol to Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear

Damage for 1997 and the Joint Protocol on Implementing Vienna Convention and

Paris Convention for1988

• Issuance of UAE Nuclear Liability Law, October 2012

• Take active part in IAEA development of standards for safety and security

• Supports IAEA International Peer Review Services

The International Advisory Board (IAB)

• Headed by Dr. Hans Blix, the IAB is a select group of internationally recognized experts in the fields of nuclear safety and security, non-proliferation and the development of human resources

• Meets twice yearly with the entities involved in the UAE

program and makes its reports public

• Most recent meeting topics included Fukushima, siting, fuel cycle and HR development

• All reports are available at http://www.uaeiab.ae

Program Management Structure

• Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, FANR

Regulations, licensing, inspections, accounting and control of nuclear material

• Established in 2009

• Regulations, Licensing process, Inspection procedures in place

• CL for Barakah 1&2 issued in July 2012

• Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, ENEC

Promotion and development of required infrastructure for nuclear power program in UAE

• Established in 2009

• Resources and processes in place for NPP construction

• Licensee for Barkah NPP, Construction on-going

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MoFA

Policy coordination and International Cooperation framework arrangements

• Other entities are assigned with specific responsibilities (CICPA, Khalifa University, NCEMA, etc.)

CICPA: Responsibilities for implementing physical security

Khalifa University: Human Capacity building & Research

NCEMA: Responsible for offsite emergency preparedness

Establishment of FANR

• Article (2) of the Nuclear Law established the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (“FANR”) as the regulatory body of the UAE Nuclear Sector with independent legal personality, full legal capacity and financial & administrative independence

• FANR independence:

the sole issuer of licences and regulations to conduct Regulated Activities (Art. 6)

Board Members are prohibited from engaging directly or indirectly in a Regulated Activity (Art.10)

• FANR aims (Art. 2) to:

control & supervise UAE Nuclear Sector and achieve Nuclear Safety & Security, Radiation Protection & Safeguards

Ensures the fulfilment of national obligations under international treaties, conventions & agreements entered into by UAE

Regulations and Guides

• FANR’s approach in developing national regulations under

Art 38 of the Law:

conforms with IAEA Safety Standards and other

internationally recognized practices

are high-level and non-prescriptive, focusing on the

essential aspects of safety

14 Regulations issued to-date following important

Stakeholder consultation (incl. public)

• Guides have been developed to assist the licensee in

complying with the regulations.

Construction License Application

• Received in December 2010 9000 pages, 21 Chapters and supplements and addenda covering

Safety, Safeguards and Physical Protection • Reviewed by FANR in 18 months - High caliber of internal experts - Contractors assisted (150 person-years) - Korean regulators advised • Construction License issued by BoM in July 2012 considering also lessons learnt from Fukushima • ENEC must submit an Operating license application to authorize

loading fuel, conduct initial start-up tests and operate the facility.

Establishment of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and Progress to date

• Established in December 2009

• ENEC specializes in the safe deployment, ownership and operation of nuclear power plants within the UAE

• April 2010: ENEC submitted two license applications:

Site Preparation License for Units 1-4: site preparation activities that are not

related to nuclear safety

Limited Construction License application

• ENEC submitted the Construction License Application in December 2010 for Units 1 &

2 to FANR, presenting the safety case for the APR-1400 technology, the construction

plants and the preferred site

• July 2012: CLA approval for unit 1 & 2 was obtained

Selection of Prime Contractor

In December 2009, ENEC announced the selection of a consortium led by the Korea Electric Power Corporation as the winning bidder for the UAE first batch of nuclear power plants

The contract calls for KEPCO to design, build and jointly operate four APR1400 nuclear power plants.

Selection of Site: Barakah

Status of the Nuclear Power Programme in the UAE

Start of Safety-related Construction of Unit 1 of first NPP at Barakah in July 2012

First unit scheduled operation in 2017 (pending regulatory approval).

Intake Structure Work

BNPP Unit 1

FANR Workforce - Human Resources and Goals

Current: core international team with nuclear regulation experience, strong training & mentoring background

Mid-term: keep international personnel, develop skilled cadre of UAE Nationals in key responsibility areas

Long-term: UAE nuclear expertise, with appropriate support from international experts & organizations

End 2012: 153 Employees Nationalities: 23 different Nationalities

Establishing the Operator ENEC Human Resources Development

ENEC staffing Presently ENEC employs nearly 562 people

UAE Nationals (65%) 32 Nationalities

• Scholarship Program has

been developed in

collaboration between ENEC

, Khalifa University and

FANR

Senior Reactor

Operator Program and

on-job training

Human Resources Development

72

158

7

Total Number of Students Sponsored by ENEC (December 2012)

Higher Diploma in Nuclear Technology

Bachelor of Engineering

Master of Nuclear Engineering

Public outreach Public Communication Programme

• communicating transparently regularly with UAE residents, employees, government agencies and the international community regarding the UAE Civil Nuclear Energy Program plans and activities

• The “ENEC Forums” and the “Regulatory open forums” provide an opportunity for residents to learn about the program and ask any questions they have about nuclear energy and UAE plans

• ENEC held 8 events since 2010, attracting more than 3,500 people

Positive Public Attitudes towards nuclear energy: 85% of people in the UAE think that peaceful nuclear energy is important for the nation.

IAEA Support to the UAE

IAEA Support - Examples

Legal and Regulatory Framework

Consultations with the Agency (e.g. nuclear law, FANR regulations on physical protection,

safeguards)

Benefit from IAEA standards and guidance in establishing FANR regulations and guides

Licensing

Direct support and advice, e.g. site assessment mission in 2011

Infrastructure and capacity building

Training events within or outside TC cooperation

Expert advice in variety of areas

Provision of technical support, e.g. monitoring, laboratory equipment

Use of IAEA systems/data bases, IRS, ITDB, ..

Security infrastructure, INSSP

Safeguards implementation

Peer reviews

INIR Review (January 2011)

IRRS (December 2011

UAE contributes to IAEA

Safety/security standard committees

Host international conferences (2010, 2013)

Contribute our experience as a new comer country

Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review – INIR Integrated Regulatory Review Service - IRRS

- INIR Mission conducted in January 2011

- IRRS Mission conducted in December 2011

INIR

• The UAE, and in particular ENEC, FANR and MoFA, the parties most directly involved in

the INIR program, found the process to be a valuable, comprehensive and methodical

way to ensure that the country was fulfilling its commitments and requirements as

outlined in the IAEA’s Milestones approach to implementing a nuclear power program

• The value derived is due in no small part to the fact that the UAE relied extensively upon the Milestones Approach as it developed its Roadmap for Success, the extensive document that laid out the path the UAE would take to implement peaceful, civil nuclear power.

• The mission team recognized that the UAE infrastructure is progressing rapidly and is

well advanced. The Team also made some recommendations supporting the on-going

development of the program.

IRRS: Scope

• The UAE opted for a full scope mission covering all the 10 core

modules

• In addition, the UAE decided to have three additional Modules

covering

• Medical exposure control

• Occupational exposure control, and

• Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources

• Plus three policy discussions

• Response to the Fukushima accident

• Capacity building and sustainability

• Regulatory body in the country of origin

• The Team recognised that FANR had established its regulatory

framework in agreement with international

recommendations/guidance, and gave a number of

recommendations and suggestions to further enhancement

Example: 2012 IAEA Capacity Building Events

January Workshop on the Legal Infrastructure Supporting the Development of a Nuclear Energy Programme

January IAEA Nuclear Energy Management School

March Workshop on Additional Protocol

April Workshop on Nuclear Safeguards and Security Training and Needs Assessment

April Workshop on Radioactive Waste Management

June Workshop on International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES)

July Regional Workshop on Nuclear Security for the Member States of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

September Session on Nuclear Knowledge Management

September Workshop on Additional Protocol Training

September Regional Training Course on Developing a National Capability for Response to Nuclear or Radiological Emergencies

October Workshop on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management: Classification, Regulations and Demonstration of Safety

November Workshop on oversight of NPP construction

December Workshop on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and additional Protocol

December Training of FANR Safeguards Inspectors

UAE –IAEA : Integrated Work Plan (IWP) for Building Nuclear Power Infrastructure in the UAE

Request during GC 2012; IWP considers

• a 5 year plan, which should take us to 2017

• comprising all 3 S’s, but also nuclear law and technology assistance

• related to regulator, operator, universities, and the like

• related to the life cycle of the plants, i.e. from cradle to grave

• containing: peer review services, assist visits, expert missions, advisory services, capacity building, infrastructure support, fellowships and scientific visits

• considering the IAEA Action Plan following Fukushima

ENEC timeline

*Subject to regulatory approval

• UAE has put in force a comprehensive legal & regulatory framework conforming to IAEA standards/guidance and international obligations to regulate the nuclear sector

• Key international instruments are adhered to, closely working with IAEA. National Reports available to public through websites

• Key institutions are established, work is ongoing to address future challenges

• The Construction of the first NPP is underway and on schedule .

• Priority on an active and sustained capacity building programme

The IAEA has recognized through peer reviews that the UAE infrastructure is progressing rapidly and is developed in line with IAEA standards/guidance and international good practice

Concluding Remarks

Thank you