The first nuclear power plant to be built in the UAE—to be situated in Baraka, Abu Dhabi—will rely on American technical expertise, reports Gulf News:
“Westinghouse’s technology will be used in the UAE nuclear project as the Korean company has a collaboration with Westinghouse,” Michael H. Corbin said on the sidelines of the ongoing Abu Dhabi Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (Adipec-2012) in the capital. Corbin did not elaborate.
The organization overseeing UAE’s nuclear program is the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation.
The country’s first four plants will be located some 75 kilometers away from the Saudi border, and the first plant is set to begin operations in 2017.
Back in March of 2010, Korea Electric Power Company (NYSE: KEP) awarded a contract worth $5.59 billion for developing the four nuclear plants to Hyundai Engineering and Construction (KRX: 000720), along with Samsung C and T (KRX: 000830).
The UAE is projected to reach 40,000 MW in terms of power demand by 2020. Currently, the country has around 16,000 MW in installed capacity, and it is investing heavily in nuclear power as a sustainable route forward.
