272 L.-C. SIM
for uranium depend largely on installed and operable capacity. For the
UAE ‘with an economy that is still relatively undiversified, that relative
absence of price volatility for nuclear fuel is actually quite valuable in
making industrial policy plans and strategies for the future’. 37
Other inherent advantages of nuclear are associated with the fuel
cycle. Uranium is mined in relatively stable countries like Kazakhstan,
Australia, Canada, and Namibia; these top four suppliers account for over
three-quarters of global uranium production. 38 Enrichment is offered
by facilities in UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US through
URENCO (which has a one-third share of the global market), in Russia
through TENEX (45%), and in France (12.7%). 39 As for fabrication into
fuel rods, Russia’s TVEL (18% market share), France’s Framatone (21%),
and US’s Westinghouse (24%) are market leaders. 40 The fact that nuclear
fuel rods can be easily stockpiled and that their delivery to refuel a nuclear
plant is usually required only once every 24–36 months are also advantageous since the vulnerability of host countries like the UAE to supply
disruptions is minimized. In brief, while not as numerous as hydrocarbon
suppliers, there seems to be enough diversity in the suppliers of the fuel
cycle and reactor construction to preclude over-dependence on a single
supplier.
Finally, this niche technology is well-suited to Abu Dhabi’s grid size
and geography. The emirate has an installed electricity generating capacity
of 16.6 GW. Given that each reactor at Barakah generates 1.4 GW of electricity, this is well within IAEA’s recommendation that a single reactor
should not account for more than 5–10% of an electricity grid to maintain grid stability in the event of reactor maintenance or shut down. In
addition, Abu Dhabi’s long coastline provides ample siting opportunities for a water-intensive nuclear power plant. In the case of Jordan,
however, its initial plan to acquire two 1 GW reactors was questionable
on technical grounds alone, given the country’s installed system capacity
of 3.2 GW. 41 Its small territory and population density of 115 persons per
square kilometre (compared to 48.9 in Abu Dhabi emirate) also resulted
in competing land use between nuclear plant site and tribal lands. For a
country that is one of the five most water-scarce in the world, the lack
of availability of cooling water also disincentivized conventional nuclear
plants.
Disadvantages related to nuclear as a niche technology were understood by the UAE’s leaders but were not regarded as deal breakers.
For instance, given that new nuclear plants take 10–19 years or more
for uranium depend largely on installed and operable capacity. For the
UAE ‘with an economy that is still relatively undiversified, that relative
absence of price volatility for nuclear fuel is actually quite valuable in
making industrial policy plans and strategies for the future’. 37
Other inherent advantages of nuclear are associated with the fuel
cycle. Uranium is mined in relatively stable countries like Kazakhstan,
Australia, Canada, and Namibia; these top four suppliers account for over
three-quarters of global uranium production. 38 Enrichment is offered
by facilities in UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US through
URENCO (which has a one-third share of the global market), in Russia
through TENEX (45%), and in France (12.7%). 39 As for fabrication into
fuel rods, Russia’s TVEL (18% market share), France’s Framatone (21%),
and US’s Westinghouse (24%) are market leaders. 40 The fact that nuclear
fuel rods can be easily stockpiled and that their delivery to refuel a nuclear
plant is usually required only once every 24–36 months are also advantageous since the vulnerability of host countries like the UAE to supply
disruptions is minimized. In brief, while not as numerous as hydrocarbon
suppliers, there seems to be enough diversity in the suppliers of the fuel
cycle and reactor construction to preclude over-dependence on a single
supplier.
Finally, this niche technology is well-suited to Abu Dhabi’s grid size
and geography. The emirate has an installed electricity generating capacity
of 16.6 GW. Given that each reactor at Barakah generates 1.4 GW of electricity, this is well within IAEA’s recommendation that a single reactor
should not account for more than 5–10% of an electricity grid to maintain grid stability in the event of reactor maintenance or shut down. In
addition, Abu Dhabi’s long coastline provides ample siting opportunities for a water-intensive nuclear power plant. In the case of Jordan,
however, its initial plan to acquire two 1 GW reactors was questionable
on technical grounds alone, given the country’s installed system capacity
of 3.2 GW. 41 Its small territory and population density of 115 persons per
square kilometre (compared to 48.9 in Abu Dhabi emirate) also resulted
in competing land use between nuclear plant site and tribal lands. For a
country that is one of the five most water-scarce in the world, the lack
of availability of cooling water also disincentivized conventional nuclear
plants.
Disadvantages related to nuclear as a niche technology were understood by the UAE’s leaders but were not regarded as deal breakers.
For instance, given that new nuclear plants take 10–19 years or more