FANR’s Board of Management reviews progress on Barakah Nuclear Power Plant

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) recently held its third Board of Management meeting of 2023, during which the board discussed matters relating to FANR’s nuclear regulatory activities, licencing and oversight of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant operation, and FANR’s international collaborations.

The board reviewed a comprehensive report on the ongoing regulatory oversight and inspection activities at Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, in addition to the status of the operating licence for Unit 4. Currently, three units are commercially operational and FANR will issue the operating licence for Unit 4 once the operator meets all its licencing and regulatory requirements.

FANR’s Director-General, Christer Viktorsson, provided an update on FANR’s recent activities, including its participation in the fifth Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP) hosted by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Türkiye in Antalya. He also highlighted the recent engagement and cooperation with FANR’s Republic of Korea counterparts in the area of nuclear safety, regulatory oversight of nuclear facilities and research and development.

The board was also briefed about multiple workshops, training sessions and IAEA technical cooperation activities hosted by FANR in recent months, supporting the country’s capacity building in the areas of emergency preparedness, nuclear security and environmental monitoring.

The Board approved a number of updates related to licences for the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, after extensive review and assessment by FANR to ensure compliance with all the regulator’s safety, security and safeguards requirements.

Furthermore, the Board reviewed FANR’s ongoing international agreements and commitments, discussing several cooperation agreements with key international partners covering aspects of nuclear and radiation safety, radiation protection, non-proliferation and research and development.

Moreover, the Board approved FANR’s 2022 Annual Report, which details FANR’s regulatory activities and milestones throughout 2022. The report is available for public view on the FANR website.