Emirates Nuclear Energy begins operation of the third plant at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announced today the start-up of the third plant of the Barakah Peaceful Nuclear Energy Plant in the Al Dhafra region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, by the Corporation's Nawah Energy Company, which is responsible for operating and maintaining the Barakah plants, which marks the beginning of the gradual raising of the plant's reactor capacity to commercial operation. After several months.

This new achievement highlights the great progress made during the development process of the four Barakah plants, which is the first multi-station peaceful nuclear energy project in operation in the Arab world, and plays a pivotal role in the process of accelerating the reduction of the carbon footprint of the energy sector in the UAE in order to reach neutrality Climate change by 2050. This achievement of starting the operation of the third plant in Barakah was achieved one year after the start of operation of the second plant, while the next step is to connect the third plant to the main electricity grid in the country in the coming weeks.

This achievement comes at a time when many countries are seeking to mitigate the effects of energy shortages as a result of the current energy crisis that the world is witnessing, which confirms the positive results of the studied future vision of the UAE when it took the decision in 2008 to add nuclear energy to its portfolio of diverse energy sources.

Once commercially operational, the third plant will add up to another 1,400 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to the UAE's electricity grid, which is a major guarantee for energy security in the country and a major step forward towards confronting climate change, as Barakah plants provide environmentally friendly electric power. For homes, businesses and advanced technical industries throughout the country, while the successive achievements in Barakah highlight the great capabilities of the UAE in the development and management of mega projects.

On this occasion, His Excellency Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, said: “An important and new achievement has been achieved today in the process of developing the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program, as we move forward in providing environmentally friendly energy of strategic importance to the United Arab Emirates. Barakah plants have a leading role in reducing the carbon footprint of the energy sector in the country, as well as producing abundant amounts of electricity in a sustainable manner in order to meet the growth and the increasing demand for energy.”

Al Hammadi added: "The UAE has developed a peaceful nuclear program in accordance with the highest international standards based on the continuous exchange of lessons and experiences with the global nuclear energy sector, which has made the Barakah plants a role model for new projects worldwide. Thanks to the decisions supported by facts and accurate data. Taken by the wise leadership, the Barakah plants have been established as a reference model for the development and completion of new nuclear energy projects around the world.”

Al Hammadi continued: "Thanks to the directives of the wise leadership, the Barakah plants contribute greatly to ensuring energy security and sustainability for the country alike during the energy crisis facing the world, which highlights the pivotal role of nuclear energy in ensuring energy security and sustainability together." That: "The completion and development of the Barakah plants is only the beginning, as the areas of innovation, research and development are the key to ensuring the achievement of the objectives of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Program on a larger scale."

Nawah, which is part of the joint consortium between the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and the Korean Electric Power Company (KEPCO), was able to safely complete the comprehensive testing program before the start of operation of the third plant reactor in Barakah, where these tests were carried out under the continuous supervision of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation. , as well as the pre-commencement review by the World Association of Nuclear Operators, which preceded the issuance of the operating license for the plant by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, in order to ensure adherence to international best practices in the nuclear energy sector.

Commenting on this achievement, Eng. Ali Al Hammadi, CEO of Nawah Energy Company, said: “We congratulate the work teams consisting of qualified Emirati competencies and global expertise for the safe start-up of the three Barakah plants within the four plants, which is an important achievement, as the specialized teams are working to increase the capacity of The reactor and generating more heat in preparation for the production of the first megawatt of carbon-free electricity from the third plant, in accordance with local regulations and international standards.”

The CEO of Nawah added: "The start-up of the third plant reactor is clear evidence that our Emirati competencies, working alongside experts and international organizations, have developed capabilities to operate three nuclear power plants simultaneously, safely and reliably. We look forward to connecting the three Barakah plants. In the electricity grid in the UAE, we continue to work to provide up to 25% of the demand for electricity in the UAE.”

In the start-up phase, the third plant reactor begins to produce heat using the nuclear fission process, where this heat is used to generate steam and spin turbines to produce electricity.

Building on the experiences gained during the start-up of the first and second plants, the qualified and certified reactor operating team conducted several safety tests after loading fuel into the third plant reactor earlier this year 2022. In the coming weeks, the third plant will be connected to the country’s main electricity grid and will continue Operation Team The process of gradual raising of power levels in the reactor, which is known as the upward power test, until the maximum reactor capacity is reached in conjunction with the continuation of the tests in line with local regulatory requirements and the highest international standards of security, safety and quality.

The first and second stations continue commercial operation and produce abundant and reliable quantities of environmentally friendly electricity around the clock, while the fourth station has reached the final stages of completion that precede the completion of construction works.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation is leading the process of reducing the carbon footprint of the energy sector in the UAE, and the Barakah plants are an essential pillar of the UAE's strategic initiative to reach climate neutrality by 2050. The plants are also a platform for innovation during the transition to environmentally friendly energy sources, including the development of models Miniature reactors and a new generation of reactors as well as paving the way for new carbon-neutral energy sources such as hydrogen.

In addition to being a mainstay for sustainable development and energy security and stability, Barakah plants provide rewarding jobs and support the growth of the local industrial sector, in addition to providing significant environmental benefits to the country now and for the next sixty years and beyond, by accelerating the reduction of the carbon footprint of the energy sector. Once fully operational annually, it will emit 22.4 million tons of carbon emissions, which are the main cause of climate change

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