By Xinhua,
Abu Dhabi : A senior official of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said here Monday that his country will work directly with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in its peaceful nuclear program, the official Emirates News Agency reported.
The UAE will conform with IAEA’s standards in evaluating and potentially developing a peaceful nuclear energy program, the country’s permanent representative to the nuclear watchdog Hamad Ali Al Kaabi said at a meeting held by the think-tank Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research.
“The UAE hopes to develop any peaceful nuclear power capability in partnership with the governments and firms of responsible nations, and appropriate non-governmental organizations,” he added.
According to studies by official UAE bodies, increasing demand for electricity in the UAE is fast outstripping the growth in supply, Kaabi said.
Total electricity demand in the UAE is expected to rise from approximately 15,000 megawatts to 42,000 megawatts by 2020, he added.
Peaceful nuclear power-generation represents an environmentally promising and commercially competitive option which could make a significant contribution to UAE’s economy and future energy security, the official said.
On April 20, the UAE government released a white paper on its policy on potential development of peaceful nuclear energy.
The white paper expressed the UAE government’s pledges to renounce the development of any domestic enrichment or reprocessing capabilities in favor of long-term arrangements for the external supply of nuclear fuel.
The UAE will also follow a set of guiding principles including complete operational transparency, the highest standards of non- proliferation, safety and security, and close coordination with IAEA.
According to the white paper, the UAE government will establish a nuclear energy program implementation organization, which will be known as the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC).
An international advisory board consisting of international experts on nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation will also be formed.
The UAE government has been undertaking high-level government- to-government consultations with the United States, Germany, France, Russia, China, Britain, Japan, South Korea as well as direct consultations with IAEA for its nuclear power program.