Abu Dhabi, September 20 (BNA) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed a mission to the United Arab Emirates focused on operational safety developments at the first unit of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates. Western Region.
The five-day mission, which is being carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Operational Safety Review Team (OSART), follows a previous visit in 2017, with the goal of monitoring progress at the power plant since then.
Established in 2009, FANR is the regulatory authority for the nuclear sector in the United Arab Emirates. It regulates all nuclear activities and licenses the use of radioactive sources in the United Arab Emirates.
The international team of experts, made up of experts from Finland, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and two IAEA officials, noted significant improvements in the facility’s infrastructure, including areas such as the effectiveness of its field management program, the operational expertise program, and the establishment of a comprehensive incident management program. .
The plant also demonstrated the ability of the mobile equipment under severe simulated accident conditions.
The United Arab Emirates is proud to present its arrangements to ensure the safety of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant. Our cooperation with the IAEA and its continued support have been invaluable in building and operating the region’s first nuclear power plant, said Christer Victorson, Director General of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).
The mission also evaluated arrangements in the areas of leadership and management, staff training and qualification, radiation protection, and emergency preparedness, in addition to other aspects of facility safety.
Since the previous assignment, three of the four units at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant have obtained their operating licenses, after a careful review of application documents covering 28,000 pages.
The agency conducted the review as part of its mandate to protect the public and the environment from radiation hazards. Each license allows ENEC to operate a unit for a period of 60 years.
International Atomic Energy Agency (OSART) missions are carried out with the aim of assessing and recommending the infrastructure of safety arrangements in countries pursuing peaceful nuclear energy programmes.