The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) have signed an Operating Support Services Agreement (OSSA) at a ceremony held at ENEC’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi in the presence of senior management representatives from both companies. Under the agreement, KHNP will dispatch experienced and qualified nuclear plant personnel to the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), including main control room operators and local operators, to support ENEC’s operating subsidiary, Nawah Energy Company (Nawah).

At the ceremony, H.E. Mohamed Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, and Mr Seok Cho, CEO of KHNP, confirmed the joint commitment of both companies to the safe operations of the four APR-1400 nuclear units under construction at Barakah, in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.

As part of the scope of the OSSA to contribute to safe operations and maintenance of the nuclear energy plants, an estimated 400 KHNP experts will support operations at the Barakah site every year until 2030.

As per regulations of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), KHNP experts will be required to pass regulatory exams to be licensed to operate and manage APR-1400 technology in the UAE.

Mohamed Al Hammadi, ENEC CEO, said, “ENEC continues to progress construction to the highest international standards of safety, quality and excellence. The OSSA provides the framework for KHNP to share its knowledge that it has accumulated throughout its 40 years of experience in operating 25 nuclear power plants in South Korea, with ENEC.”

“We are entering a crucial phase in the development of the Barakah plant and we are looking forward to working with the experts from KHNP to ensure the operational readiness of the Barakah plant,” continued Mr. Al Hammadi.

“Over the next decade and beyond, the agreement will continue to build on and enhance the existing long-term nuclear energy partnership between the UAE and South Korea,” added Al Hammadi.

The construction of the Barakah NPP commenced in 2012, and is scheduled for completion in 2020. With four reactors online, the facility will deliver up to a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs and save up to 12 million tons in carbon emissions every year.

The project at Barakah is progressing steadily. Overall, construction of Units 1 to 4 is now more than 66 percent complete. All four units will deliver safe, clean, reliable and efficient nuclear energy to the UAE grid, pending regulatory reviews and licensing.

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