Committed to effective safety communication as part of a healthy nuclear safety culture, Nawah has developed the first language standards for the nuclear industry The Innovative Nuclear English Development Center in Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant supports continuous learning and development of all employees Abu Dhabi, UAE – 13 October 2018:   Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), the operator of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the Al Dhafra Region of Abu Dhabi, has become the first company in the world to develop English language standards for nuclear plant operations. These standards play a significant role in ensuring a high level of effective safety communication as part of a healthy nuclear safety culture.   With employees from more than 40 nationalities, Nawah is the most multinational and ......read more

Abu Dhabi, October 11, 2018 -   Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, has signed a green revolving credit facility (RCF) with four local and international banks to provide funding for new and ongoing investments in its global clean technology and sustainable real estate projects. The facility, which is the first green RCF in the Middle East, has been arranged with the UAE’s First Abu Dhabi Bank, Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, Japanese multinational banking and financial services company Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and pan-European global banking and financial services group UniCredit - together the mandated lead arranger (MLA) and bookrunners – as part of their ongoing commitment to sustainable finance. The three-year facility includes a number of ‘green features’ ......read more

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; October 11, 2018:  Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) has launched the Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) Pioneers Programme, a year-round agenda aimed at nurturing young women aged 20-30 into the next generation of sustainability leaders through proactive engagement with policy makers, industry leaders, technical experts, entrepreneurs and community figures. The announcement was made at the second edition of the Mohamed Bin Zayed Majlis for Future Generations, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The WISER Pioneers Programme, involving access to bespoke educational workshops, global networking events, and highly sought-after professional ......read more

Representatives of UAE-based suppliers were updated on the status of the Barakah Project and upcoming opportunities and requirements     Abu Dhabi, UAE – 10 October 2018: The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), in collaboration with its subsidiary, Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), hosted a Supplier Forum today in Abu Dhabi. The forum brought together delegates representing a diverse range of UAE-based companies as well as employees from ENEC and Nawah.   The forum is an integral component of ENEC’s ongoing efforts to support the development and growth of a local supply chain that can meet operational service, spare part and consumable requirements for the safe, secure and efficient construction and operation of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant for the next 60 years or more. The forum ......read more

Strategic partnership will expand ADNOC Drilling’s capabilities into the integrated drilling and well construction segment and expand BHGE’s presence in the UAE BHGE will acquire a five percent stake in ADNOC Drilling, valuing the business at $11 billion, and the partnership will enable ADNOC Drilling to gain greater market access and new business opportunities ADNOC Drilling will obtain exclusive access to BHGE capabilities, market leading technology and equipment portfolio in the UAE to strengthen its service offering, technical expertise, improve drilling efficiencies and know-how ADNOC will capture more value from growth across its conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources, expand local talent development opportunities and generate greater in-country value for the UAE Abu Dhabi, UAE – ......read more

ENEC engages with students at Al Sila School as part of Schools Outreach Program Students learn about peaceful nuclear energy and its importance to the future growth and development of the UAE Abu Dhabi, UAE – 3 October 2018:   The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) organized a visit to Al Sila School, located in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi Emirate. During the visit, students took part in a variety of activities and learned about the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program and its importance to the future growth and development of the nation.   The visit to Al Sila comes as a part of ENEC’s ongoing Schools Outreach Program, which focuses on raising awareness and understanding of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program, educating students of all ages on how nuclear energy is used, and ......read more

GCC banks' financial profiles should remain stable in 2019, absent any unexpected geopolitical or oil-price shock. Bank lending growth should stabilize at around the 5% mark over the next 12 months, as higher oil prices and stronger public investments raise economic growth in the region overall. We expect profitability to stabilize--with return on assets at about 1.5%-1.7% and net interest margins at 3% on average in 2018--benefitting from the higher interest rates and significant non-interest-bearing deposits on banks' balance sheets. International operations could pose a latent risk for some GCC banks. A few banks with exposure to Turkey will see some impact on their asset quality. Three-quarters of the 24 GCC banks we rate carry a stable outlook. Negative outlooks are concentrated in Qatar and on a few banks in ......read more

By Ole Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy at Saxo Bank Dubai, UAE, September 23, 2018:  The Bloomberg Commodity Index, which tracks the performance of 22 major commodity futures, rose from the ashes this past week. The 2% gain occurred after some early weakness after the US announcement of additional tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports.  The broad-based recovery that followed in global stocks and currencies was driven by a combination of the US tariffs coming in at the lower 10% bracket and China, while responding with its own counter tariffs, announcing plans to cut taxes, lift consumption, and lowering its average tariff rate on imports from most of its trading partners as soon as October.  While these developments may have helped sentiment, a proper de-escalation in China / US relations has yet to ......read more

The International Youth Nuclear Congress and the UAE Permanent Representation to the International Atomic Energy Agency co-hosted a side-event at the 62nd IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Austria Young professionals from the UAE, USA, China, Russia and France share their views on the future of nuclear energy and technology Dubai, UAE, September 20, 2018:  The International Youth Nuclear Congress (IYNC) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Permanent Representation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) facilitated a discussion on the role of young people in the future of the nuclear industry with representatives from around the globe. The two organizations co-hosted a side-event at the 62nd IAEA General Conference today, with opening remarks from Ambassador Hamad AlKaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the ......read more

ENEC participates in 62nd Annual Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference, UAE side event and International Youth Nuclear Congress event ENEC CEO updated the attendees on the status of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant Project   Abu Dhabi, UAE – 19 September 2018: The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) participated in the 62nd  Annual Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference, taking place at the IAEA International Center in Vienna, Austria, from 17 to 21 September 2018. The ENEC delegation to the Conference is led by Eng. Mohamed Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer of ENEC.   Eng. Mohamed Al Hammadi delivered a speech during the special event hosted by the UAE on the side-lines of the General Conference, in which he updated attending officials and representatives from IAEA member ......read more

5MW Ile de Romainville Solar Park being developed with financing worth AED31 million from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development as well as funds from PUC’s own equity Solar PV project to be integrated with existing 6MW Port Victoria Wind Farm and PUC’s existing power station   Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Sept 12, 2018 – Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, will help the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) in building a five-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant with battery storage in the Republic of Seychelles The project is being financed by a AED31 million loan from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the leading national entity for development aid, as well as funds from PUC’s own equity.   The project’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract ......read more

September 11, 2018 - Dubai UAE: A 2016 report by McKinsey & Company found that 14 percent of millennials said they would not work in the oil and gas industry because of its negative image – the highest percentage of any industry. With millennials set to comprise 75 percent of the workforce by 2025, it is imperative companies within the oil and gas industry do more to attract younger talent.  In recent years, the oil and gas industry has seen the landscape in which it operates undergo significant change, marked by a West-East shift in socio-political and economic power and influence. This shift in influence is perhaps most exemplified by the long-awaited free trade agreement (FTA) between the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).  The six countries of the GCC represent an important ......read more

Hughes and Yahsat to provide commercial Ka-band satellite broadband service across Africa, Middle East and southwest Asia Dubai, UAE, September 10, 2018:  Yahsat, a leading global satellite operator based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company, and Hughes Network Systems (HUGHES), a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), today announced an agreement to enter into a joint venture to provide commercial Ka-band satellite broadband services across Africa, the Middle East and southwest Asia. This new venture combines Hughes deep expertise as the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services with Yahsat’s unique position and knowledge as the leader in satellite broadband solutions across these regions.  Hughes will purchase a minority interest in the ......read more

Dubai, UAE, September 09, 2018:  SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a framework agreement for project support services with LUKOIL Mid-East for the West Qurna phase 2 oil field in Iraq. “We continue to build on our long-term relationship with LUKOIL and to help them realize their projects successfully. Once again, we look forward to demonstrating our expertise in the delivery of professional services and our enviable reputation that has been earned in the region for over 50 years,” said Christian Brown, President, Oil & Gas, SNC-Lavalin. “We are well established in the Middle East and have worked closely with national and international oil companies and Iraq’s Ministry of Oil on projects across the value chain, ranging from professional services to engineering and ......read more

Dubai, UAE, September 05, 2018:  Gazprom Neft, Mubadala Petroleum and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, the sovereign wealth fund of the Russian Federation) have announced the completion of a transaction establishing a joint venture to develop oil fields in the Tomsk and Omsk regions of Western Siberia.  Further to an agreement announced on 24 May 2018, Gazprom Neft has now completed its sale of a 49-percent interest in Gazpromneft-Vostok LLC, operator of 13 fields, to Mubadala Petroleum and RDIF. Following the completion of this transaction Gazprom Neft now holds a 51-percent interest in the joint venture, with Mubadala Petroleum and RDIF holding 44 percent and five percent equity, respectively. Gazpromneft-Vostok remains a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, and will continue to operate the fields. The ......read more

Dubai, UAE, September 04, 2018:  A collaboration between Masdar, Taaleri Energia and the German development finance institution DEG to develop the largest utility-scale commercial wind project in Serbia has successfully reached a number of key milestones, and is on schedule to start production early next year. Čibuk 1 in Dolovo, situated 50km outside the capital Belgrade, has completed the construction of 33 overhead pylons allowing for the energisation of the wind farm’s substation, its connection to existing transmission lines 11km away, and the handover of the transmission operation building to its operator.    Comprising 57 wind turbines supplied by GE Renewable Energy, the 158-megawatt (MW) wind farm is expected to provide electricity to 113,000 homes and displace more than 370,000 tonnes of carbon ......read more

Abu Dhabi, UAE, September 04, 2018:  The third annual Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum will be held in Abu Dhabi on January 12-13, 2019, again kicking off Abu Dhabi’s Sustainability Week. The two-day premier event gathers international and regional political, industry, and thought leaders to set the global energy agenda for the year and examine the longer-term geopolitical and geo-economic implications of the changing energy system. The conference agenda this year will focus on the future of oil, the digitization of energy, diversification in energy companies and countries, and will have a regional focus on East Asian energy demand and energy innovation. Last year’s event brought over 450 people to Abu Dhabi from around the world, including CEOs, Ministers, global media, and industry experts. The forum will ......read more

2 September 2018, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) and Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU), have signed a collaborative research agreement focused on advancing nuclear safety research and educating the UAE’s next generation of peaceful nuclear energy professionals. The agreement was signed during a ceremony held at FANR’s headquarters by Christer Viktorsson, Director General of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, and Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President of Khalifa University. According to the new agreement, FANR and KU will continue their joint work on the Advanced Thermal-hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation Project Phase 2 (ATLAS-2), an international project jointly organized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation ......read more

Oliver Wyman releases new report highlighting the impact of PPPs on national infrastructures across major Gulf economies  Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 07 August 2018:  In recent years, since the oil price slump, plans have emerged across the Gulf to curb fiscal deficits and diversify economies, most notably through the development of national infrastructure, highlights a new report by Oliver Wyman.   Titled “How Public-Private Partnerships can support the Gulf’s Economic development,” the report highlights the significance of the private sector’s contribution to the emerging economies. Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) stand among the main levers being considered in the Gulf as a means to boost private sector contribution to the economy and to offload some of the financing burden from ......read more

Winner(s) will be announced at the “Unlocking Solar Capital: Africa 2018” conference in November Dubai, UAE, August 07, 2018:  Phanes Group, an international end-to-end solar provider headquartered in Dubai, UAE, has announced the 2nd edition of its Solar Incubator program, aimed at identifying PV projects of potential in sub-Saharan Africa by providing support to funding, and commercial and technical knowledge. The initiative held under the theme, “Your Project, Our Expertise, For a Sustainable Future”, will be held in collaboration with Hogan Lovells, responsAbility Renewable Energy Holding, RINA and Solarplaza, and invites PV developers to submit proposals for projects based in sub-Saharan Africa that have a clear Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) component. Candidates are asked to submit ......read more

Unit 2 Hot Functional Test (HFT) completed successfully as part of testing and commissioning in preparation for operation Nawah operators benefit from unique plant operating experience Abu Dhabi, UAE – 6 August 2018:   The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has successfully completed Hot Functional Testing (HFT) on Unit 2 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. This significant pre-operational testing process incorporated all lessons learned from the same test on Unit 1 in order to achieve the highest international standards of quality, safety and efficiency.   ENEC worked closely with the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), the Joint Venture partner and Prime Contractor for the Barakah project, and under the observation of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the ......read more

2 August, 2018 – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:   National Central Cooling Company PJSC (DFM: Tabreed), the leading regional district cooling utility company, today released its consolidated financial results for the first half of 2018. The company continues to meet the region’s growing demand for district cooling and deliver solid performance and growth.   Financial highlights – six months ended 30 June 2018: Net profit attributable to the parent increased by 10 per cent to AED 211.9 million (H1 2017: AED 192.7 million) Group revenue increased by 2 per cent to AED 650.7 million (H1 2017: AED 639.2 million) Core chilled water revenue increased by 2 per cent to AED 617.3 million (H1 2017: AED 602.3 million) EBITDA increased by 6 per cent to AED 326.1 million (H1 2017: AED 308 ......read more

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 25 July 2018:   Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), the nuclear operating joint venture company established by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), celebrated the graduation of 195 students who are specializing in nuclear energy as part of the ‘Energy Pioneers’ scholarship program. The graduates successfully completed nuclear science and technology focused courses from various institutions of higher education in the UAE and abroad, including Khalifa University (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Polytechnic, and Pennsylvania State University, Texas A&M University and North Carolina State University in the United States of America.  Nawah Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mark Reddemann, congratulated the students in his speech, and emphasized ......read more

The renewable fuel alternative is manufactured from the used cooking oil produced by restaurants at The Sustainable City Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 18 July 2018:   The Sustainable City, the Middle East’s first fully operational sustainable community, has adopted B100 biodiesel to fuel the construction of the new buildings in phase 2 including Fairgreen International School, Hotel Indigo, and the innovation centre. The renewable fuel alternative is manufactured from the used cooking oil consumed by the restaurants at the community plaza, and will allow The Sustainable City to reduce its carbon footprint by up to 150 tons of carbon dioxide per year during the construction period. Faris Saeed, CEO of Diamond Developers — the company behind The Sustainable City — commented: “As The Sustainable City ......read more

New 175,000-square metre facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone to connect to global markets Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 16 July 2018:-   DP World, UAE Region, the Middle East’s leading regional trade enabler, today signed an important Strategic Long Term Service Agreement  with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, aimed at supporting the UAE’s position as a major exporter of the metal. The agreement extends the strategic partnership between the two companies, facilitating the storage and transportation of aluminium manufactured by EGA. As part of the agreement, EGA is leasing a dedicated storage area that is the largest the company has ever used at Jebel Ali Port and which will further ease the export of EGA’s metal ......read more