UAE Signs 3 Nuclear Agreements with China

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), responsible for developing the nuclear energy sector in the UAE, has signed three agreements with Chinese nuclear energy organizations. According to Reuters, the UAE, which is hosting the climate change conference COP28 this year, aims to source six percent of its energy needs from nuclear power as part of its net-zero plan for 2050. The UAE has previously stated that China will be a key partner in its technology transfer initiative. ENEC announced on Sunday that it has signed three memoranda of understanding with the Chinese side, which include nuclear energy operations, construction of gas-cooled reactors, nuclear fuel supply, and investment. The reports indicate that these agreements were signed with the China Nuclear Energy Operations Research Institute, China National Nuclear Corporation, and China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation. The UAE is currently constructing the Arab world's first nuclear power plant, the Barakah plant in Abu Dhabi, which is being built by a South Korean company. Once completed, the Barakah plant will have four reactors with a total capacity of 5,600 megawatts, equivalent to 25 percent of the UAE's peak electricity demand.