By Ed Attwood
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UAE government sources have denied reports that a decision to award a US$40 billion contract to develop six nuclear power stations is imminent, according to Reuters.
The news agency quoted a government official ‘familiar with the negotiations as saying that “the UAE is not days away from awarding this contract. The process is still ongoing.”
But other another government source said that the finalisation of the country’s nuclear power law is almost complete, according to UAE daily The National.
The legislation will establish an independent safety regulator for nuclear power in the UAE, and will have the ability to licence operators.
It forms a key part of the country’s requirement to comply with international nuclear regulations and is necessary before commercial nuclear power production contracts can begin.
The paper indicated that the law was in the hands of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, the president of the UAE, and that authorisation of the programme is nearly certain.
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