Prices in the energy sector have jumped since the beginning of 2021, as a result of an increased demand with a shortage of supply. Prices of gas rose by more than 800 percent, while oil witnessed an 85 percent increase, and coal more than 300 percent.
The record rise in prices caused a global energy crisis that led to the bankruptcy of European and British energy companies, and the decline in the production capacity of some commodities due to the disruption of production lines in some factories, as a result of the continuous power cuts.
Meanwhile, nuclear energy has emerged as a sustainable solution to diversify energy sources and contribute to the global energy mix.
Moreover, combating climate change may require developing the nuclear energy sector to reduce carbon emissions and increase reliance on thermal energy.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Alexander Voronkov, CEO of ROSATOM Regional Center in Middle East and Northern Africa, said that nuclear energy was an integral part of the global energy system.
“The International Energy Agency (IEA), which is known for its impartiality, says explicitly that achieving the de-carbonization targets set by the Paris climate agreement would not be possible without nuclear power,” he stated.
IEA experts point out that nuclear energy currently represents the second largest source of low carbon energy in the world, where the contribution of nuclear power plants amounts to 10 percent of the total electricity production in the world, Voronkov remarked.
He added that nuclear power has been the largest source of low-carbon electricity for more than 30 years in countries with advanced economies such as the United States, Canada, Japan and the European Union.
“The benefit of nuclear energy lies not only in generating clean and environmentally friendly energy, but also in the development of large infrastructure projects that ensure sustainable growth for the regions in which they are located for several decades,” the ROSATOM official noted.
On the reliance on nuclear power to combat climate change, Voronkov said many parties, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), are aware that a program to combat global warming and carbon dioxide emissions - which requires keeping the average global temperature at a level of no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius - must include work on developing the energy sector.
“Nuclear energy is an important source of low carbon electric energy and thermal energy capable of contributing to mitigating the effects of climate change,” he underlined.
Voronkov noted that ROSATOM was currently responsible for operating about 40 power generation units in Russia, which help avoid the emission of more than 100 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, in addition to preventing the emission of another 100 million tons thanks to the operation of Russian-designed nuclear plants outside the country’s territories, the equivalent of removing 57 million cars from the roads. Thus, nuclear energy, as a powerful source of primary load electricity, contributes to de-carbonization.
He added that in 2020, nuclear power represented the largest net source of electricity generation in Russia with a market share of 20.28 percent.
“If we add the energy produced from hydroelectric and renewable energy sources, it will account for about 40 percent of the country’s total electricity generation,” he underlined.
Voronkov said that ROSATOM’s projects in the Middle East and North Africa are still in the implementation phase, and they include the construction of a nuclear power plant in the El-Dabaa region in Egypt, which consists of 4 power units of the VVER-1200 type.
The company is also building the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey, which will also be equipped with 4 VVER-1200 power units with a total capacity of 4,800 MW, he noted.
On the future of the nuclear energy sector in the Middle East, especially in the Arab countries, Voronkov said: “The fact that the countries of the Middle East and North Africa region, which are rich in oil and also in renewable energy resources, such as sunlight and wind, are pumping increasing investments in the development of the nuclear energy sector, indicates that nuclear energy plays an indispensable role in these countries’ efforts to form a Green energy mix for the future.”
He continued: “I am sure that the launching of the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE and the implementation of other nuclear projects in the region, such as the construction of the Dabaa nuclear plant in Egypt, will raise the level of awareness among the countries of the region of the need to add nuclear energy to their energy mix.”
Asked about the future of nuclear energy in the context of governments’ pursuit of carbon neutrality, the CEO of ROSATOM MENA Center noted that nuclear energy was not yet classified as a renewable energy source, but a clean energy source.
Nuclear power plants do not emit greenhouse gases during operation, and they provide clean, reliable and affordable energy, stimulating the social and economic development of entire regions and countries, he emphasized.
“Currently, operating nuclear power plants already prevents the emission of 2 Gigatons of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of removing 400 million cars from the roads annually,” Voronkov stated.
