The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announces the completion of construction work on the 3rd plant of "Barakah"

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation has announced the completion of the construction works of the third Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the Al Dhafra region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is the first multi-plant nuclear energy project in operation in the Arab world, as part of its continuous contribution to achieving the vision of environmentally friendly energy for the UAE United.

The systems of the third station were handed over in preparation for the start of the operational preparations stage, leading to its start-up and the production of environmentally friendly electrical energy in 2023, to join the first station that started commercial operation, and the third station that was connected to the main electricity network of the UAE, and is currently witnessing a process of raising levels Reactor power with accompanying tests.

This new achievement was announced on the occasion of "Energy Day" on the sidelines of the 26th United Nations Conference on Climate Change "COP26" in Glasgow, which embodies the progress made by the UAE in the process of transitioning to environmentally friendly energy sources, and accelerating the reduction of the carbon footprint of the energy sector. Reducing carbon emissions and increasing energy production to keep pace with the increasing demand for electricity.

While the UAE seeks to host the United Nations Climate Conference in its 28th session in 2023 with the support of the Asia-Atlantic group of countries at the United Nations, this highlights the tangible efforts made by the state to reduce carbon emissions within the framework of its climate commitments, and its recent launch of the Climate Neutrality Strategy 2050 initiative. This new achievement means that the Barakah plants will soon add another 1,400 megawatts of carbon-neutral electricity, consolidating the UAE's leading role in the environmentally friendly energy sector.

The completion of the construction works of the third plant highlights the great progress made by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation in terms of ongoing efforts to confront climate change, and support the efforts of the UAE to fulfill its commitments to increase reliance on environmentally friendly energy through the use of nuclear energy technology in the production of primary load electricity to support energy sources Renewable and intermittent energy. Barakah plants play a leading role in reducing the carbon footprint of the energy sector in the country, as the first plant in Barakah became in April 2021 the largest single source of electricity in the region, producing environment-friendly electricity 24/7. With the second Barakah plant connected to the state's electricity grid in September 2021, the Barakah plants have taken the lead in reducing carbon emissions in the country and moving towards doubling the amount of environmentally friendly electricity produced by the plants.

By the year 2050, the Barakah plants are expected to reduce carbon emissions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi by 50%, which indicates the great capabilities of nuclear energy in the production of primary load electricity without any carbon emissions.

The third plant in Barakah will now move to the next stage of completing the operational preparations, testing, regulatory oversight and international reviews required to obtain an operating license from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, the independent regulator responsible for regulating the nuclear sector in the UAE.

On this occasion, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, said, "With the start of the commercial operation of the first plant in Barakah, and the connection of the second plant to the UAE electricity grid, the completion of the construction works of the third plant highlights the steady progress in the development of Barakah Nuclear Energy Plants. As the world gathers at the 26th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow, the need for concrete measures to confront the phenomenon of climate change is urgent and indisputable, as Barakah plants are currently contributing to finding climate solutions by accelerating the reduction of the carbon footprint of the energy sector. With the construction of the third plant now complete, we are moving forward towards providing a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs that are completely carbon-free.”

Al Hammadi added: “Through the development of nuclear energy in the UAE, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation contributes to promoting sustainable growth and prosperity in the country by providing abundant and environmentally friendly electricity 24/7, while supporting renewable energy sources and paving the way for the development of new sources. Environmentally friendly energy such as green hydrogen.

Al Hammadi concluded by saying: “We are currently contributing to confronting climate change and will continue to do so for the next 60 years. We thank and appreciate the wise leadership for its vision of diversifying energy sources 15 years ago, and for the continuous support and guidance as we continue to develop the four Barakah plants and write history in the Jubilee Year. Gold for the UAE.

The Barakah plants continue to consolidate its model for new nuclear energy programs in the world, as the knowledge and expertise developed by the work teams during the construction operations of the first and second stations were utilized to complete the construction of the third plant while adhering to the highest standards of safety and quality.

During its development phase, the third plant in Barakah completed a number of individual and combined tests, including cold water balance test, structural integrity test, integrated leak rate test, and thermal performance test, as part of the first phase of the initial testing program aimed at ensuring the operation of the plant’s systems In accordance with the highest standards applicable in the nuclear energy sector, as well as ensuring continued commitment to this during the operational phase and throughout the coming decades.

Prior to the issuance of the FANR operating license for the third plant, FANR conducts detailed inspections and reviews of all aspects of the plant and the operating company. In addition to the extensive review process by the authority, and in line with the commitments made by the UAE in 2008 to adhere to the highest standards of safety, security, quality, non-proliferation and operational transparency, the third plant and its operational team will be subject to a number of evaluations by independent international experts in nuclear energy from the World Association of Nuclear Operators .

The Barakah plants in the Al Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, are one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world, and include four APR-140 advanced power reactors. Construction began in 2012 and has progressed steadily since then.

The overall completion rate in the four stations reached more than 96%.

When fully operational, the four Barakah plants will produce 5.6 GW of carbon-neutral electricity for more than 60 years.

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