Various countries in the Arabian Gulf region are pursuing nuclear power as part of their energy mix. The Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates has been operating two units since 2020 with third and fourth units due to come online imminently. Saudi Arabia has also expressed ambitions to develop nuclear energy in the near future. In light of these developments in the region, other Arabian Gulf nations are interested in understanding the impact the arrival of nuclear energy could have on the public.
Isa Alsaqer currently works as a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense officer in Bahrain Defense Force. Over the past couple of years, he has been a graduate student with the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) at Texas A&M University. He has worked with NSSPI Director Dr. Sunil Chirayath on a research project to perform radiation dose assessments for the Kingdom of Bahrain and the countries of the Arabian Gulf region in the case of a large radioactive material release due to a hypothetical accident at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.
“My thesis evaluated an estimate of the radiation dose to the general public in the Arabian Gulf region as a result of an accidental radiological release in a nuclear power plant,” said Alsaqer.
To accomplish his objective, Alsaqer computed the radioactive source term by performing nuclear reactor core physics and fuel burnup simulations using the Monte Carlo radiation transport code, MCNP. MCNP was used to prepare the model of a fuel assembly used in one of the nuclear reactor cores in the plant. The MCNP model was used to perform fuel burnup simulations for estimating the concentration of radionuclides in the burned nuclear fuel. Subsequently, the estimation of location-dependent radiation dose rates was carried out by using a material dispersion code, HOTSPOT.
According to Alsaqer, “This research aids in predicting what to expect in the event of a nuclear power plant leak or accident, as well as providing the tools to perform radiation dose assessments for various cases and scenarios.” His research can help the Kingdom of Bahrain establish procedures and inform their overall preparedness and response to these types of radiological emergencies.
When reflecting on his time as a NSSPI student, Alsaqer describes interacting with NSSPI Faculty Fellow Dr. Siegfried Hecker as a highlight of that experience. “One of the most rewarding experiences I had was listening to Prof. Siegfried Hecker and having the opportunity to ask him several questions about various nuclear programs from countries all over the world.”
Alsaqer will graduate in Fall 2022 with Master of Science degree in nuclear engineering with a nuclear nonproliferation specialization. Prior to joining NSSPI, he earned a BSc. in chemical engineering from the Military Technical College in Egypt in 2011. Upon graduation he will return to Bahrain Defense Force.