ABU DHABI, Apr 3 – With energy demand in the UAE growing at an annual rate of about 9 percent, three times the global average, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has announced it has joined the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) nuclear research programme.

The membership will enable ENEC to access a wide array of EPRI research results and technical guidance that can inform the development and operation of the UAE’s commercial nuclear energy program. The collaboration also will enable the primarily US-based EPRI and its global membership to collect data and draw lessons from ENEC’s plants under construction that can be shared with the broader nuclear industry.

“ENEC’s membership in EPRI is a clear demonstration of its commitment to the open exchange of information among the global nuclear community,” said Neil Wilmshurst, EPRI vice-president and chief nuclear officer.

The EPRI conducts research, development and demonstration relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public.

An independent, non-profit organisation, it brings together scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and the industry to help address challenges in electricity. In late 2009, ENEC selected a team led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to design, build and help operate four 1,400-MW civilian nuclear power units.

The first is scheduled to begin providing electricity to the grid in 2017, with the three other units expected to be completed by 2020. — IANS