Four-reactor nuclear station in UAE is first in Arab World
Unit 3 at the Barakah nuclear power station has been brought to 100% of its reactor power capacity for the first time as part of its testing activities, project company Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) said.
The milestone brings the third unit of the four-unit Barakah station – the first commercial nuclear power station in the Arab World – one step closer to beginning commercial operation, scheduled for early 2023.
Barakah, in the western Al Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is one of the largest nuclear energy new-build projects in the world, with four APR1400 units supplied by South Korea. Construction of the first unit began in 2012.
The milestone brings the third unit of the four-unit Barakah station – the first commercial nuclear power station in the Arab World – one step closer to beginning commercial operation, scheduled for early 2023.
Barakah, in the western Al Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is one of the largest nuclear energy new-build projects in the world, with four APR1400 units supplied by South Korea. Construction of the first unit began in 2012.
Units 1 and 2 at Barakah are already commercially operational. Unit 1 began commercial operation in April 2021 and Unit 2 in March 2022. Unit 4 is in the final stages of construction.
Enec said nuclear energy produced from Barakah will primarily displace “low-efficiency” gas generation and by 2030 eliminate up to 18 million tonnes per annum (MMtpa) of carbon emissions when compared with legacy power generation.
“Unit 3, once commercially operational, will add another 1,400 megawatts of zero-carbon emission electricity capacity to the national grid alongside the 2,800 megawatts of capacity already in use at Units 1 and 2, a major boost for UAE energy security, and a significant step forward in tackling climate change,” Enec said.
