KHNP workers to help commission first UAE unit

Thursday, 3 March 2016

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) has agreed to send dozens of its workers to the United Arab Emirates to assist with the commissioning of the first unit at the Barakah nuclear power plant.

Under a contract signed yesterday with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec), KHNP will send more than 50 people - including plant operators and some support personnel - to work at the UAE's first reactor.

The contract was signed in Abu Dhabi by KHNP CEO Cho Seok and Enec CEO Mohamed Al Hammadi (Image: KHNP)

Construction of the first of four Korean-designed APR-1400 pressurized water reactors at Barakah, about 50 km from the town of Ruwais, began in 2012. Barakah 1 is now almost 90% complete, with a completion target of 5 May 2017.

Enec announced in June 2014 that ten Emirati citizens had become the country's first fully qualified local operators following completion of a 15-month training program in the UAE and South Korea. Enec developed the course together with its prime contractor, Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco). The program was held at Kepco's facilities in South Korea, the Institute of Applied Technology in Abu Dhabi, and Emec's Simulator Training Centre at Barakah.

Construction began on unit 2 in 2013, and is about 65% complete, while work began on units 3 and 4 in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Overall, construction of the four units at the site is almost 60% complete. All four units are scheduled to be complete by 2020.

Enec said earlier that it will need around 2000 employees to operate its four nuclear power units.

Enec is currently working to obtain approval from the UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation for operating licences for the first two units.

The UAE and South Korea signed a bilateral civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement in June 2009, under the terms of which the South Korean government will help the UAE to develop its civil nuclear program over the next two decades through the transfer of technology, equipment and expertise.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News