ABU DHABI, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) pays high attention to security and safety at its planned nuclear facilities and will try to prevent any emergency and crisis, the official news agency WAM reported Tuesday, citing an official.

    "The UAE, under directives from its wise leadership, is drawing strategic plans and introducing early warning systems for prevention and reduction of risks at time of crises," said Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithy, director general of the National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority.

    "Among the top priority, the UAE is early preparing for safety and security at nuclear facilities. We have commenced such arrangements since the early moments of planning for using nuclear power for peaceful purposes," he said on the sidelines of a conference in Abu Dhabi.

    On Dec. 27, the UAE signed a 75-billion-dirham (about 20.5 billion U.S. dollars) agreement with South Korea on the construction of four nuclear power plants in the Gulf nation.

    The UAE is the world's third largest oil exporter but has to import natural gas to run many of its existing power plants. It has said its energy needs are expected to almost double by 2020.

    The country hopes to become the first Gulf state to develop a civilian nuclear program to help meet soaring demand for power. The first of the UAE's nuclear units is scheduled to produce electricity to its grid in 2017, the other three to be completed in 2020.

    The United States last year signed an agreement with the UAE for the country to import, rather than produce, fuel for its nuclear reactors.

    The UAE's nuclear program, led and funded by its wealthy capital Abu Dhabi, is considered by Washington to be a model for other countries in the region.