United Arab Emirates may build Arab world's first nuclear reactor
ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates has launched an international
tender for the procurement of what could be the first nuclear energy reactor
in the Arab world.
The UAE Energy Ministry has released a tender for the construction of a
nuclear energy reactor. The ministry has sent invitations to nine companies
as part of the estimated $1.5 billion project.
Industry sources said the tender was qualifying companies before
selecting those that would compete in the tender, Middle East Newsline reported. The companies have been
asked to submit information on previous projects as well as capabilities.
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One company that has entered the prequalification stage has been
Britain's Amtec. The British engineering firm has sought to design any UAE
nuclear reactor.
"We were asked to submit the initial document and we have done so,"
Graham Bellwood, Amec's Middle East regional director, said. "There are many
more stages to go."
Bellwood told the UAE daily Emirates Business that he expects the UAE to
award the nuclear reactor contracts by 2009. He did not identify the other
contenders.
The UAE has signed nuclear cooperation agreements with France and the
United States. In April 2008, the UAE released a plan to develop nuclear
energy in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.