Dubai, United Arab Emirates (11th December 2023) – Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with British advanced nuclear technology developer MoltexFLEX in a move that marks a significant step towards bringing the FLEX reactor to market.
His Excellency Mohamed Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, and David Landon, Chief Executive Officer of MoltexFLEX, signed the MoU on Friday 8th December at the World Nuclear Association Net Zero Nuclear summit in Dubai at the COP28 climate conference. Attending the signing was British Ambassador to the UAE Edward Hobart CMG and representatives from the UK government.
“It is great to witness a pioneering UK business making big breakthroughs in the UAE,” said Hobart. “The UK’s Department for Business and Trade team here in the UAE is delighted to be working in close collaboration with MoltexFLEX. The commitments made in this MoU are another vote of confidence in UK technology and will form the basis of a mutually beneficial relationship between two like-minded partners.”
“We are delighted to sign an MoU with such a prestigious member of the global nuclear community, and to announce it against a backdrop of worldwide collaboration on fighting climate change,” said Landon.
“We firmly believe ENEC’s interest highlights the potential of our FLEX reactor to provide low-cost, low-carbon heat and electricity for a wide variety of uses,” Landon added. “We are excited to be part of the growing collaboration between the UK and UAE, and the MoltexFLEX team is looking forward to working more closely with a major potential developer as well as suppliers and academia in the region.”
The MoU will see the companies form a joint working group to examine the commercial viability of deploying MoltexFLEX’s innovative 60MWth/24MWe FLEX molten salt reactor in the UAE. ENEC and MoltexFLEX will assess using FLEX reactors for a range of industrial applications including desalination, hydrogen production and electricity generation.
“We will also explore opportunities throughout the Middle East and beyond, which is aligned with MoltexFLEX’s vision for global deployment of the FLEX reactor,” Landon added.
About ENEC
Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) was established by decree in December 2009 and is responsible for the implementation of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program. ENEC also serves as the investment arm of the Government of Abu Dhabi, making strategic investments in the nuclear sector both domestically and internationally. ENEC is wholly owned by Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company PJSC, itself wholly owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi, with the mandate to develop, build, finance, operate, maintain, manage and own nuclear reactors for use for peaceful objects for the purpose of power generation and water desalination.
About MoltexFLEX
MoltexFLEX, a subsidiary of Moltex Energy Limited, is based in Warrington, UK. It is developing the FLEX molten salt reactor – an advanced small modular design which together with the GridReserve® molten salt thermal energy storage system delivers clean, flexible, and low-cost electricity and high temperature heat. MoltexFLEX plans to have the first FLEX reactor operational around the turn of the decade. For more information, visit moltexflex.com.
Media inquiries:
Rob Loveday
Communications Officer, MoltexFLEX
+44 1925 974760 / +44 7815 866313
robloveday@moltexenergy.com
