- UAE’s FANR to deepen collaboration with South Korea in AI, SMRs, and energy regulation.
- South Korea’s expertise drove Barakah’s success, now powering 25% of UAE’s energy.
- Partnership serves as a model for nuclear newcomers, with joint training and capacity building.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) aims to enhance collaboration with South Korea in fields such as energy regulation, small modular reactors, and artificial intelligence (AI), leveraging the achievements of the Barakah project, according to the leader of its nuclear regulatory authority.
Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) Director General Christer Viktorsson commented in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency, stating that the insights provided by South Korean partners have significantly contributed to the success of the Barakah project.
FANR serves as the regulatory authority for the UAE's nuclear energy sector, enforcing programs related to safety, security, and radiation protection in the region, according to Yonhap news agency.
Last year, South Korea finalized the building of four nuclear reactors in Barakah, situated 270 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi, having secured the project in 2009. At present, all four units are functioning effectively, catering to as much as 25 percent of the UAE's energy requirements.
“I would say that this cooperation between the two countries has been very successful in this program and it is now a role model for other nuclear newcomer countries,” Viktorsson said in the interview held virtually Wednesday.
“The strengths of the Korean program is that you have long experience. You have continuously operated nuclear power plants during many, many years,” Viktorsson said, acknowledging that the Asian partner's expertise in constructing nuclear facilities domestically provided learning opportunities for the UAE.
The FANR leader highlighted that South Korean partners have “significantly contributed” to his organization’s capacity initiatives, such as expert training, from the beginning.
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Viktorsson stated that the UAE is willing to enhance collaboration with South Korea in the AI field for nuclear regulation, which he believes can lead to safer plant operations via real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and anomaly detection.
“AI-driven tools can enhance simulation and training, support faster decision-making during incidents and improve communication systems to ensure timely and effective responses,” Viktorsson said.
Additional sectors where the UAE aims to enhance global collaboration encompass the small modular reactor (SMR) sector, which he noted is seen as a “solution for energy demand,” along with significant industries such as manufacturing, water desalination, heating, and others.