The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to collaborate on identifying potential development and co-investment opportunities for new international nuclear energy plants.
The MoU was signed by Mr. Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO of ENEC, and Mr. Yu Jianfeng, Chairman of CNNC, on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai.
As part of the new MoU, ENEC and CNNC will identify countries looking to expand their existing nuclear energy fleets, or to enter into the nuclear energy sector for the first time to offer their expertise to emerging nuclear-developing countries.
Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi MD & CEO – ENEC
“International collaboration is one of our core commitments and has been a central part of our accomplishments in the nuclear energy sector. Having successfully created the Barakah Plant, we are now focused on strategic investments and innovation that accelerate the global drive to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050. By working with our partners in countries like China, we can bring together our skills, knowledge, and technology to offer other nations looking to accelerate their own decarbonization efforts. COP28 has provided an ideal platform to further solidify global partnerships and establish new agreements to collectively take action to achieve Net Zero.”
Furthermore, they will form a Joint Working Group to leverage their strengths in project management, nuclear technology development, and implementation, funding, construction and operation, human resources, and supply chain development. This will enable ENEC and CNNC to potentially jointly develop new nuclear energy projects.
Mr. Jianfeng noted that, “I have full confidence in this multinational collaboration and believe that it will introduce new models of cooperation and sustainable development in the global energy sector. The signing of the MoU will be a significant step for CNNC and ENEC in advancing the global energy transition. It will set a new paradigm for global energy cooperation and contribute to building a cleaner, greener world.”
According to the statement, ENEC and CNNC also signed an MoU to explore potential cooperation opportunities for the development and deployment of High-Temperature Gas Cooled Reactors (HTGR) to set out the pathway for HTGR technology deployment, and how this could be utilized in other countries.
