JEDDAH: The need to build nuclear power plants in the Middle East is necessary to satisfy the growth in electricity demand that is projected at 25 percent per annum between 2010 and 2015, an article titled "Heavy Fuel" in the latest Deloitte periodical publication "Middle East Point of View" emphasized. It noted that, although the increase will be primarily met with natural gas, the availability of such gas at its current, heavily subsidized prices is uncertain. According to Kenneth McKellar, partner and Middle East Energy and Resources Industry leader at Deloitte in the Middle East, "the nuclear momentum has started across the region. Of the 60 countries around the world that have expressed an interest in, or are actively planning to introduce nuclear power, almost every country in the Middle East is represented." In the UAE, arecent poll by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) showed that 85 percent of UAE residents were in favor of a peaceful nuclear program. Safety concerns were also polled and the majority of respondents cited location as a decisive consideration in the future of Emirati nuclear power generation. The UAE government awarded the $20 billion deal in December 2009 to Korean Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to build four nuclear reactors. KEPCO is an international leader in nuclear reactor construction. Rapid population increases combined with energy-intensive industry growth continues to drive energy demand. The UAE has developed the most diversified economy of the Middle East and benefits from large reserves of both oil and natural gas (ranked 7th globally in both). In February 2011, the UAE government estimated a 71 percent increase in primary energy demand before 2019. It was named as having the Arab world's highest energy demand growth from 2006 – 2010 at 38 percent. The Arab average was 24.5 percent during that same period. Upon completion by 2017, the 1,400 megawatt capacity-reactors will alleviate demand of natural gas and direct such supplies toward export. These will be the first nuclear reactors on the Arabian Peninsula and surplus production may eventually be directed toward the communal GCC Grid. Current electricity generation capacity in the UAE stands at 18.747 gigawatts, with little spare capacity during peak times. Investment in renewable energies is essential as 70 percent of energy consumption in 2008 came from gas-fired electricity (power) plants, a fuel which the UAE needed to import despite its large reserves. EPEC predicts over 30 percent of Emirati electricity will be derived from nuclear power by 2020, relieving pressure on natural gas supplies. Enhanced oil recovery techniques have allowed the UAE to maintain its oil reserves over the past decade, which comprise 7 percent of the world's total. However, these too are finite and further renewable technologies must be pursued simultaneously to enhanced oil recovery techniques.
