ABU DHABI: The company that will run the UAE’s first nuclear reactor, due to start up this year, is not ready to get its operating license yet, the country’s regulator said.
UAE is building four nuclear reactors in what is one of the world’s largest nuclear newbuild projects and will be the first nuclear reactor in the Gulf, but last year the startup of the first reactor was delayed by a year to 2018 because the operating company was not ready.
Local company Nawah, which is a joint venture between Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) — which is building the four APR-1400 reactors — and Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC), will operate the four reactors.
After ENEC said in May 2017 that the startup of the first reactor would be delayed by a year because Nawah was not ready to get a license, the UAE’s energy minister said in September that the reactor would definitely be operational in 2018.
But Christer Viktorsson, director-general of UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), told reporters on Tuesday that while the reactor was almost technically ready, the regulator could not yet issue an operating license to Nawah and could not say when the firm would get its license.
“It is hard to say when they (Nawah) will be ready,” Viktorsson said, when asked whether the license would be issued this year.
“It is a very complex process. The organizational aspect is more important than the technical aspect,” he added.
Before FANR issues an operating license, it not only needs to be confident that the reactor meets the highest technical and safety standards, but also that all Nawah’s staff have been properly trained in running the reactor under all circumstances and can handle any emergencies.
The four-reactor Barakah nuclear plant will have total capacity of 5,600 MW and will supply about a quarter of the UEA’s electricity when it is fully operational in 2020.
In September, the UAE said the second and third reactors were 86 percent and 76 percent complete, while the fourth was 54 percent done.
UAE nuclear plant operator not ready to get license yet: regulator
UAE nuclear plant operator not ready to get license yet: regulator
Ministerial meeting of the International Labour Conference concludes in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: The ministerial meeting of the third International Labour Conference concluded Jan. 26 in Riyadh.
The meeting was chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi and attended by the Director-General of the International Labour Organization, Gilbert Houngbo, and 40 labor ministers from countries representing the G20, Europe, and Asia as well as the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas.
In his opening remarks, Al-Rajhi emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue, stressing that the ministerial meeting is a cornerstone for strengthening international cooperation.
He explained that it aims to facilitate the exchange of constructive visions and experiences among ministers and senior officials, focusing on practical experiences in current labor markets and areas of future cooperation capable of achieving tangible results.
The meeting’s discussions focused on a number of key themes, aiming to stimulate the practical exchange of experiences among participating countries and align employment policies with future workforce readiness requirements. It also focused on identifying the most effective factors for successful employment programs and determining the mechanisms necessary to ensure consistency and integration among labor market policies.
The gathering also resulted in an agreement among the participating ministers on six crucial actions. These include developing methodologies for skills recognition and transferability by improving skills recognition and enhancing their flexibility in the labor market to facilitate mobility between sectors and across borders.
They also agreed on guiding the responsible use of artificial intelligence in labor market systems by employing AI in workforce decisions while ensuring transparency, governance, and oversight.
An additional action focuses on adapting social protection systems to support mobility and career transitions by ensuring that social protection is transferred with workers as the nature of work and career paths change.
In addition, the ministers agreed on promoting the use of data to actively connect individuals with opportunities and strengthening the labor market infrastructure through data and analytics to support the link between employment and skills development.
They further agreed on enhancing workforce planning to anticipate periods of disruption by preparing employment systems to withstand economic shocks and structural shifts.
Finally, they committed to improving pathways to first employment and return to the labor market by enabling pathways that connect individuals with meaningful and valuable career advancement opportunities.
The ministerial meeting is a pivotal element of the International Labour Conference, which has become a leading global platform for promoting evidence-based dialogue and supporting international cooperation on the future of labor markets.
This is achieved in partnership with leading international organizations, including the ILO, the World Bank, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development as well as the UN Development Program, the International Organization for Migration, and the UN Tourism Organization.
Additional organizations include the King’s Trust Fund International and the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation.
The International Labour Conference, taking place on Jan. 26 to 27 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, is themed “Shaping the Future.” It features high-level participation from labor ministers, heads and representatives of international organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions as well as policymakers, thought leaders, and experts from around the world.
More than 200 speakers are participating in over 50 dialogue sessions, with an expected attendance of over 10,000 participants from within the Kingdom and abroad.
