Production of the first megawatts of green energy begins
Video ... Connecting the first peaceful nuclear energy plant to Barakah to the UAE's electricity grid
The team operating the reactors in "Nawah Power" during the completion of the connection process with the network inside the main control room of the station. From the source
An engineer monitoring the connection indicators. From the source
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The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announced the completion of the safe connection process for the first peaceful nuclear energy plant, Barakah, with the main power grid of the United Arab Emirates, after aligning the station with the requirements of the network, and the start of the production of the first megawatts of environmentally friendly electrical energy.
The Corporation stated that with the completion of the connection and the connection of the plant to the main network, the operators of the nuclear reactor in the first plant will begin to gradually raise the level of the reactor’s energy, in what is known as the "progressive energy test", during which the systems of the first station will be monitored and tested, to ensure their commitment to best international practices. , While continuing the safe progress towards full electricity production.
Secure fastening
In detail, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation confirmed the success of its subsidiary Nawah Energy Company, which is responsible for operating and maintaining the Barakah peaceful nuclear power stations, and in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Transmission and Control Company (TRANSCO), a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), to complete the secure connection of the first Barakah plants. Peaceful nuclear energy with the main power grid of the UAE after the plant was adapted to the requirements of the network, and the production of the first megawatts of environmentally friendly electrical energy began.
According to a statement issued yesterday, this is the first time that the first station in Barakah has been connected to the electricity grid in the UAE, after Nawah succeeded in starting operations of the plant at the end of July 2020, as the reactor operating team has since started conducting a series of tests. And raising the energy level steadily and gradually, until reaching the level of producing the first megawatt of primary load electricity from the Barakah stations project, which is being developed in the Al Dhafra region.
Foundation stone
Connecting the first plant to the electricity grid represents a very important achievement during the development of the UAE's peaceful nuclear program, and the Barakah peaceful nuclear energy plants, which are the cornerstone of the program, according to the highest standards of safety, security and quality.
The CEO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, said, “Connecting the first peaceful nuclear power plants to the UAE’s electricity transmission network safely marks the moment in which we have already begun to achieve our mission to support growth in the country by producing environmentally friendly electrical energy over the course of a year. The clock, as this marks the beginning of a new phase for the Barakah stations project, after years of preparations and commitment to the highest international safety and quality standards.
He added, "We are all confident that the work teams and the technology used in the stations will be able to continue progressing towards achieving the goal of providing about 25% of the state's needs of electric energy for the next 60 years."
Al Hammadi stated that "Barakah plants, along with other environmentally friendly energy sources, are one of the most important pillars of the transformation of environmentally friendly energy in the region and the world, which puts the country on a new path for sustainable development and reducing carbon emissions from the process of producing electric energy."
cooperation
Al Hammadi indicated that “this achievement, represented by the production of the first megawatts of electricity using nuclear energy, was achieved as a result of close and continuous cooperation with our local and international partners,” expressing his appreciation to the Abu Dhabi Transmission and Control Company (TRANSCO) and the Korean Electric Power Company (KEPCO), the partner in the coalition. The subscriber and the main contractor for Barakah plants, in addition to many concerned parties in the country, and international experts who have worked with the corporation over the past decade, and whose expertise, along with the expertise of the nuclear energy sector at the global level, has contributed to enhancing commitment to the highest standards of safety, quality, security, transparency, and non-proliferation. Nuclear during all stages of the development of the UAE's peaceful nuclear program ».
Al Hammadi also expressed his pride in the Emirati competencies of engineers and specialists in nuclear energy, who contributed to the construction and completion of the first plant, in addition to the Emirati operation managers and reactor operators, who have undergone advanced training programs around the world.
A pivotal role
The «Transco» Company played a pivotal role in the connection process, as it established a network of 952 km of overhead lines with a voltage of 400 kilovolts, to connect the first peaceful nuclear power stations to the Abu Dhabi electricity grid, to ensure that the electricity produced by the first plant in Barakah was delivered safely and reliably to the beneficiaries. All over the state.
The CEO of the company, Dr. Afif Saif Al-Yafei, said that “(TRANSCO) plays an important role in promoting a more sustainable energy future in the UAE, and with the progress witnessed in the country in terms of environmentally friendly energy projects, the company continues to work to ensure the alignment between its infrastructure and this Projects effectively, with the aim of providing safe and stable energy supplies to the community, ”pointing out that completing the alignment process with the first peaceful nuclear energy plants of Barakah is an important step towards increasing the capacity of producing environmentally friendly energy and connecting it to the electricity grid.
Al-Yafei added: “Transco, a subsidiary of TAQA, which specializes in transport and control, is proud of its partnership with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and its subsidiary Nawah Energy Company, in such a strategic project for the UAE, and we look forward to strengthening our partnership for the next stages of the project.”
Gradual lifting
With the completion of the connection and connection of the plant to the main network, the operators of the nuclear reactor in the first plant will begin to gradually raise the level of the reactor’s energy, in what is known as the "progressive energy test", during which the systems of the first station will be monitored and tested, to ensure their commitment to international best practices, while continuing Safe progress towards fully electric production.
Upon completion of this process, the first plant will produce abundant quantities of primary load electricity to reach its peak energy production, in order to support the growth and prosperity process in the UAE for decades to come.
In addition, a "progressive energy test" will be conducted under the continuous supervision of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, which has conducted more than 280 inspections in the Barakah peaceful nuclear power plants since the start of their development, in addition to more than 40 evaluation and review processes conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Association Global Nuclear Operators.
Construction works
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation recently announced the completion of the construction work in the second plant, in addition to the start of the Nawah Energy Company in operational preparations, at a time when the construction work of the third and fourth plants reached their final stages, with the completion rate in the third plant reaching 93%, The fourth station is 86%, while the overall completion rate for the four stations has reached 94%.
Historic achievement
The phase of connecting the unit to the local electricity grid represents a historic achievement in the course of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Program, which will contribute to the full operation of the first unit, which is planned for later this year.
Since its establishment in 2009, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation issued regulations and guidelines, and carried out careful inspections and reviews, which contributed to reaching this important stage in the history of the first nuclear power plant in the region, in order to ensure its safety and security.
Following this stage, the authority will continue its monitoring and inspection tasks, and other subsequent stages, which include full commercial operation to ensure the safety and security of the plant, within the framework of the authority's tasks to protect society, workers and the environment.
Regulatory requirements
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed that, since its issuance of the operating license, last February, for the first unit at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, it has continued its monitoring tasks in the stage of fuel loading, and the various tests conducted, which included the normal operation phase known as "critical", to link The unit is connected to the local electricity network, in preparation for the start of electricity production. The authority also confirmed the commitment of Nawah Energy Company, the operator, to all regulatory requirements, to start at this important stage.
She stated that the phase of connecting the first unit to the electricity grid represents the success of a series of safety tests, which were conducted after the start of the normal operation phase, and under the constant supervision of the authority.
It is noteworthy that after the authority issued the operating license and up to this stage, the authority carried out a set of monitoring activities, which included inspection through its resident inspectors at the plant, and sending more inspectors to follow up the nuclear fuel loading operations and the various stages of testing. The authority continuously checks the level of readiness and preparedness for emergencies, as well as monitoring the environment, through independent monitoring stations located around the station while using its environmental laboratory.
- The process of connecting to the electricity network was successfully and safely completed, in cooperation and partnership with "Abu Dhabi Transmission and Control" of "TAQA".
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An inspection carried out by the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission at Barakah plants, since the start of their development.