Construction of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates completed

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) announced the successful completion of the construction of Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the first multi-unit nuclear power plant in the Arab world in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.

The unit has now been turned over for operational readiness and is well on its way to being operational and delivering clean electricity in 2023. It connects to the fully operational unit 1 and unit 2 connected to the UAE network and is tested while the power is increased.

The announcement, made on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP26) on climate change during Energy Day, shows the UAE’s progress in moving towards cleaner energy sources, rapidly decarbonising the electricity sector, cutting and increasing carbon emissions Power supply to meet the increasing demand for electricity.

This milestone means that the Barakah plant will shortly deliver an additional 1,400 MW of zero-emission electricity, underscoring the UAE’s leading role as a pioneer in clean energy.

With the completion of the construction of Unit 3, ENEC is demonstrating the significant advances made today in providing climate solutions and fulfilling the UAE’s promise to deliver clean energy using nuclear technology to deliver the clean baseload of electricity that is required to support intermittent renewable energy sources.

The Barakah plant is leading the large-scale decarbonization of the UAE’s power sector, with Block 1 becoming the largest single power producer in the region in April 2021, producing 24/7 clean electricity. The connection of Unit 2 to the UAE’s grid in September 2021 has put Barakah at the forefront of the country’s emissions reduction efforts on its way to doubling its clean energy generation.

By 2025, the Barakah power plant is expected to reduce the emirate of Abu Dhabi’s CO2 emissions by 50 percent, demonstrating the considerable capabilities of nuclear energy in generating base-load electricity without CO2 emissions. Unit 3’s focus in the next phase will shift to completing the readiness for operation, testing, regulatory inspections and international assessments required to obtain Unit 3 operating license from the UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation ( FANR.), To receive).

Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, ENEC’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “As Unit 1 is already in commercial operation and Unit 2 has recently been connected to the UAE network, the completion of Unit 3 shows the steady progress we are making on the development of the Barakah. make nuclear power plant. As the world meets at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, the need for concrete action to combat climate change is undisputed and urgently needed. The Barakah plant, with its rapid decarbonization of the energy sector, is delivering climate control solutions today, and with the completion of the construction of Unit 3, we are moving smoothly to meet a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs entirely carbon-free.

“By developing nuclear energy in the United Arab Emirates, ENEC enables sustainable growth and prosperity for the nation by delivering abundant clean electricity around the clock, while supporting intermittent renewable energies and bridging the gap with other clean energy technologies such as green hydrogen. We are addressing climate change directly today and will continue to do so for the next 60 years. We thank our leadership for their vision of diversifying the UAE’s energy sources 15 years ago and their unwavering support in delivering the four units of the Barakah facility and making history this year of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee, “added Al Hammadi.

The Barakah power plant continues to set new standards for newly built nuclear programs. The accumulated knowledge and expertise of the team that built Blocks 1 and 2 were used to complete the construction of Block 3 while ensuring the highest safety and quality standards.

Block 3 of the Barakah plant has already successfully completed a number of individual and combined system tests, including Cold Hydrostatic Testing (CHT), the Structural Integrity Test (SIT) and Integrated Leak Rate Test (ILRT), as well as the Hot Functional Test as part of the first Phase of his Initial Testing Program (ITP). The aim of the ITP is to ensure that the unit’s systems meet the highest industry standards and will continue to do so during the operation of the facility for decades to come.

Before issuing the permit by issuing the operating permit for Unit 3, FANR carries out detailed inspections and reviews of all aspects of the plant and the operational organization.

In addition to FANR’s extensive review process, and in line with the UAE’s 2008 commitments to the highest standards of safety, quality, non-proliferation and operational transparency, Unit 3 and its operations team are now undergoing a number of independent assessments international nuclear energy experts from the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO). The Barakah power plant in the Al Dhafra region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world with four APR-1400 units. Construction of the plant began in 2012 and has progressed steadily since then. The development of the entire Barakah plant is now more than 96 percent complete. When fully functional