The world's nuclear watchdog is to send a team of inspectors to review the Federal Government's planned US$20 billion (Dh73.46bn) nuclear programme.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of 10 engineers and experts is due to arrive next month and is expected to review the Government's plans for nuclear safety, contracts for building nuclear reactors and infrastructure development.
The UAE inspection is happening later than in other countries where nuclear plants were planned.
IAEA guidelines suggest countries should conduct such a review before inviting bids to build reactors but the inspectors will arrive a year after the UAE awarded its first contract to a Korean consortium.
The timing may be advantageous for the UAE's programme, said Jeremy Gordon, an analyst at the World Nuclear Association based in London.
"In some ways you could even say it helps them do the infrastructure review if you know which power plant will go online at what time," Mr Gordon said.
Opening the country's nuclear programme to review is part of the UAE's effort to establish a reputation as a prospective responsible nuclear power. In the past three years, the Government has struck agreements with South Korea, France, the US and, most recently, the UK.
In September, it became the first Arab state to have a seat on the board on the IAEA.
The IAEA's Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review team will evaluate procurement policies and management systems. It is unlikely the review will include a visit to the planned site for the UAE's first four reactors in Al Gharbia, however. The IAEA has conducted similar reviews in Indonesia, Jordan and Vietnam since launching the programme last year, advising governments on how to match their national policies to international guidelines.
"Why this is important for the UAE is it is consistent with our policy for transparency, engagement with the IAEA," said Hamad al Kaabi, the UAE's permanent representative to the IAEA. "Local legislation has to meet the nuclear regulation."
The inspection will also consider communication with the public on nuclear plans.
Last month the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) hosted a town hall-style meeting where the chief executive Mohammed al Hammadi and a group of engineers tried to allay fears among the largely Emirati audience that nuclear waste would contaminate the Gulf, and assure them that the company would formulate a thorough decommissioning strategy.
At the forum, which ENEC plans to hold twice next year in Al Gharbia and Abu Dhabi, visitors were given grey plastic models of the tiny uranium pellets that will fuel the UAE's Korean-designed APR-1400 reactors.
ENEC still plans to submit its application to the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the Government's independent nuclear regulator, for a nuclear construction licence for its first unit by the end of this year, said Padraic Riley, an ENEC spokesman.
Meanwhile, FANR is proceeding with plans to collaborate with regulators from other countries.
It has already arranged to share information with the Korea Institute for Nuclear Safety, South Korea's government regulator, and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bill Travers, FANR's director general and a 30-year veteran of the US nuclear regulator, said the US could send staff to the UAE on secondment when construction begins.
As the US has few new nuclear projects, it has historically sent staff to countries with newer programmes for training.
ayee@thenational.ae
