New Build

Barakah / Cold Hydrostatic Testing Complete At Unit 4

By David Dalton
19 May 2020

Overall construction of four plants now more than 94% complete
Cold Hydrostatic Testing Complete At Unit 4
The Barakah nuclear power station, where construction is more than 94% complete. Photo courtesy Enec.
Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation has completed cold hydrostatic testing at Unit 4 of the Barakah nuclear power station, the Arab world’s first commercial nuclear energy facility being built 50km west of Ruwais on the Persian Gulf coast of Abu Dhabi.

The testing incorporated the lessons learned from the previous three units and is a crucial step towards the completion of Unit 4, the final unit of the Barakah station.

As a part of the testing, the pressure inside Unit 4’s systems was increased to 25% above what will be normal operating pressure.

Before testing began, Unit 4’s nuclear steam supply systems were flushed with demineralised water and the reactor pressure vessel head and reactor coolant pump seals were installed. During testing, the welds, joints, pipes and components of the reactor coolant system and associated high-pressure systems were verified.

Enec, with plant supplier Korea Electric Power Corporation, is building four APR-1400 units at the $24.4bn Barakah station.

Earlier this month Enec chief executive Mohammed Al Hammadi said operations at the Barakah site were on schedule despite the coronavirus pandemic, with first criticality at Unit 1 expected “very soon”.

Overall construction of the four units is more than 94% complete. Unit 1 is complete and fuel was loaded in March. Unit 2 is more than 95% complete, Unit 3 is more than 92% and Unit 4 is more than 84%.

Pen Use this content

Tags


Related