Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (Enec) and GE Vernova Hitachi (GVH) have signed an agreement to work together to begin exploring the global deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs).

Enec, the state company that led the project to build four South Korea-supplied APR-1400 reactor units at the Barakah nuclear power station in the United Arab Emirates, said the agreement builds on the companies’ earlier agreement signed at Cop28 and will enable collaboration to drive next-generation nuclear innovation as part of our Advance programme.

Enec launched Advance in 2023 to work with a network of international technology suppliers of advanced reactors, to drive decarbonisation of energy intensive and heavy industry.

Enec said at the time that advanced reactors will be pivotal in delivering the UAE’s strategy to reach net zero by 2050.