The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), for the construction of Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 & 2
The no objection certificate from the environmental regulator is one of several approvals needed for construction to begin on the two reactors at the Barakah nuclear power plant.
In issuing the NOC, EAD acknowledges the environmental aspects of the construction of the UAE's first two reactors, based on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP), which were submitted by ENEC in 2010.
The receipt of the NOC is the next important step in a thorough, multi-year licensing process for the reactors.
In order to proceed with the construction of Units 1 & 2, ENEC also requires a construction license from the UAE Federal Authority of Nuclear Regulation (FANR). ENEC submitted its construction license application (CLA) for Barakah Units 1 and 2 to FANR on December 27, 2010.
The CLA covers site selection, technology, safety and quality control and the construction process for Units 1 & 2.
"We are committed to operating in a manner that is respectful of the environment throughout the construction and operation of the nuclear energy plants," said Mohamed Al Hammadi, chief executive officer of ENEC.
ENEC's preferred site in Barakah is located in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.
