The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) and GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) have signed an MoU at the World Utilities Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to evaluate the deployment of the BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology internationally.
The MoU will help ENEC and GE Vernova Hitachi to cooperate following the signing of the MoU in 2023 at COP 28 to evaluate the technology as part of ENEC’s ADVANCE program for advanced nuclear technology. The MoU will explore opportunities for international deployment by collaborating on a development roadmap to include site identification, licensing pathways, investment and commercialization strategies and supply chain development.
As developer and operator of the four-unit Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Abu Dhabi, UAE, ENEC has brought expertise after the deployment of civil nuclear energy to power the UAE’s grid. ENEC is a member of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Atlanta Center and is aligned on US operating standards and regulatory environment, combined with unique expertise in deployment, financing and integration. Currently, 25% of the UAE is powered by nuclear energy bringing each unit of the plant onto the grid in a highly efficient 7.9 years.
ENEC and GE Vernova Hitachi teams will work together to evaluate and develop a complete roadmap to deploy the BWRX-300. ENEC is focused on identifying investment, collaboration and deployment opportunities both in the UAE and overseas to support the delivery of civil nuclear energy to drive energy security and sustainability through the provision of clean baseload electricity.
