Location: Situated in Al Dhafra, Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Specifications:

• Reactor Count: Four nuclear reactors.
• Annual Output: 40 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity.

Objective and Significance:

• Energy Diversification: The plant is a key component of the UAE’s energy diversification efforts, providing clean and efficient power.
• Environmental Impact: It is projected to reduce carbon emissions by up to 22 million tons annually, equivalent to removing 4.8 million cars from the roads.

International Nuclear Energy Agreements

Purpose: Nuclear energy agreements are bilateral or multilateral treaties focused on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. They facilitate international cooperation in areas such as technology transfer, fuel supply, safety standards, and non-proliferation.

India’s Nuclear Energy Agreements:

• General Overview: India has established civil nuclear cooperation agreements with various countries including France, the United States, Russia, Namibia, Canada, Argentina, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Australia, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom.

Key Agreements:

• India-Russia: A longstanding partnership since the Cold War, with Russia significantly contributing to the construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu.
• India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008): Known as the 123 Agreement, it marked India’s entry into the global nuclear market despite its non-signatory status to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This agreement enabled India to engage in nuclear trade with the US and other Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) members.
• India-France Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008): This agreement allows France to supply nuclear technology and fuel to India, including involvement in the proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in Maharashtra.
• India-Canada Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (2010): This historic deal marked a return to cooperation after a hiatus following Canada's sanctions in 1974, allowing uranium supply for India’s civilian reactors.
• India-Japan Nuclear Agreement (2016): This agreement facilitates the export of nuclear technology from Japan to India, reflecting Japan’s confidence in India's non-proliferation commitments.
• India-Kazakhstan: Agreements with Kazakhstan for uranium supply, given Kazakhstan’s status as a major uranium producer.
• India-Australia Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement: Permits Australia to export uranium for India’s civilian nuclear program. Notably, Australia typically exports uranium only to NPT signatories.
• India-United Kingdom Nuclear Agreement (2015): This agreement promotes collaboration on nuclear technology and research between India and the UK.
• India-UAE Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation: Recently, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) formalized their collaboration in civil nuclear energy through an MoU.