ENEC Requests Approval For Preparatory Work at Barakah Site

16.10.11

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has requested that the UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) approve additional preparatory construction work at the proposed site for the UAE’s first nuclear power plants in Barakah.

ABU DHABI, October 16, 2012 – The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has requested that the UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) approve additional preparatory construction work at the proposed site for the UAE’s first nuclear power plants in Barakah. ENEC is requesting approval to undertake the following preparatory work:

  • Creation of a smooth flat surface at the bottom of the excavation in preparation for the pouring of the initial safety concrete for Units 1 & 2.
  • Placing reinforcing steel and embedded piping as well as electrical conduits and electrical grounding material in preparation for pouring concrete for the reactor building

As per the regulatory process in the UAE, ENEC is not authorized to pour concrete for the permanent power block until it is granted a Construction License from FANR. ENEC submitted its Construction License Application for Barakah Units 1 and 2 to FANR on Dec. 27, 2010 and the application is currently under review.

Notes to Editors:

Construction License Application

On December 27th, 2010, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) filed the Construction License Application for Barakah Units 1 and 2 with the United Arab Emirates Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR). The submittal follows a year-long process in which ENEC and the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), the Prime Contractor for ENEC’s program, documented the safety case for the UAE’s first nuclear power plants, as well as the proposed site, Barakah, in the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Construction License Application (CLA) is based substantially on the safety analysis done for, and licenses granted by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) to KEPCO for Shin Kori 3&4 units in Korea, the “reference plant” for the UAE program. The CLA documents were reviewed, verified and augmented by ENEC to meet FANR requirements. ENEC utilized outside consulting firms as part of its independent safety verification of the license application. Comments and analysis developed by ENEC were incorporated into the CLA prior to the submittal.

The submittal starts FANR’s review process, which ENEC expects will involve requests for additional information, and several meetings, which is typical for a nuclear construction license application to a regulator.

Totaling about 9,000 pages, the Construction License Application includes:

  • The Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR), which includes a description of the plant design and a summary of the associated safety analyses.
  • A Probabilistic Risk Assessment report, which demonstrates the low probability of a severe accident and provides assurance of public health and safety.
  • An Independent Safety Verification Report, which meets the FANR requirement for an independent review of the PSAR.
  • A preliminary Safeguards Plan, which provides information on how nuclear fuel and nuclear-related components will be kept secure, and in line with UAE safeguards commitments.
  • The ENEC Quality Assurance Manual for design and construction, which details the processes ENEC uses to ensure the highest quality work in the program.
  • The Physical Protection Plan, which lays out how ENEC will secure the facilities during construction.
  • The CLA takes into consideration necessary design changes to the Shin Kori plant, including those impacted by the high air temperatures in the Western Region; the higher temperature of the Arabian Gulf water as compared to the sea water in Korea; the potential for sandstorms at Barakah; and the change in electric grid frequencies from 60 hertz, which is used in Korea, to 50 hertz, which is used in the UAE.

For more information, please visit www.enec.gov.abudhabi.