The Board of Management of the UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) has recently convened, during which FANR’s Director-General Christer Viktorsson briefed members of the Board on its recent regulatory activities including the oversight and inspection of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant to ensure its compliance with FANR’s regulatory requirements.

FANR presented to the Board the latest progress of the four units of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), where units 1, 2 and 3 are currently operational, and the review of Unit 4 Operating Licence Application is ongoing and will be issued when Nawah Energy Company (the operator) meets all regulatory requirements.

Furthermore, the Board was provided with an update about FANR’s participation in a 36-hour nuclear exercise titled “UAE Barakah Exercise 2023”, along with 21 federal and 19 local entities, where it fully activated its Emergency Operations Centre to test its readiness to address a nuclear emergency in cooperation with its national and international stakeholders.

The Board of Management approved to sign an agreement with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) to provide opportunities for FANR staff to obtain hands-on training, join research and development projects and other capacity-building activities.

Also, the Board members discussed the preparations for the Professional Day of the Nuclear and Radiation Sector Workers campaign, which was approved by the UAE Cabinet to observe it on February 16 on an annual basis, marking the day on which FANR issued the license to operate unit 1 of the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in February 2020.

The professional day aims to celebrate the efforts of the professionals who contributed to the success of the UAE nuclear energy programme.