UAE and China ink agreement to collaborate on nuclear energy development

The partnership focuses on a framework for best practices in running nuclear plants.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on ensuring practices in developing and managing nuclear energy plants.

The partnership also provides a collaboration framework for short and long-term fuel cycle procurement, nuclear environmental protection, and other areas of mutual interest such as research and development, ENEC said.

Potential collaboration in research and development includes the development of a nuclear technology centre, cooperation on IV generation reactors and hydrogen production technology, and nuclear energy use for desalination.

ENEC Managing Director and CEO Mohamed Al Hammadi and CNNC Chairman Yu Jianfeng signed the MOU.

ENEC said this new agreement builds on the parties’ previous cooperation initiatives, including the collaboration of leading nuclear energy firms on new nuclear energy plants in third countries and deploying advanced reactor technologies.

During the COP28 the parties also signed a memoradum for the development of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors.