Abu Dhabi (AFP)

The Arab world's first nuclear power plant released its first megawatt on Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates said, describing a "historic milestone".

"The first megawatt of the first Arab nuclear power plant has entered the national electricity grid," said on Twitter the vice president and prime minister of the Federation, Mohammed ben Rached Al-Maktoum.

"The start of commercial operations at the Barakah plant (...) is a historic milestone for the UAE, which strengthens the sustainability of our entire electricity sector," also tweeted the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and de facto leader of the country, Mohammed ben Zayed Al-Nahyane.

The fourth largest producer of OPEC, the UAE federation has grown since the 1970s thanks to its wealth in oil and gas.

But, like other Gulf countries, it is now trying to diversify its energy resources.

Aside from nuclear, the country has set up a multibillion-dollar program to develop renewable energies, with the goal of producing 50% of its energy from clean sources by 2050.

When fully operational, Barakah's four reactors will produce 5,600 megawatts, or about 25% of the electricity needs of this very hot and energy-intensive country.

The first reactor started up last August.

Saudi Arabia, the leading oil exporter, has for its part announced its intention to build 16 nuclear reactors, a project which has so far not materialized.

The Barakah power plant was built on the coast, west of Abu Dhabi, by a consortium led by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) and South Korea's Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco), at an estimated cost. to $ 24.4 billion (approximately € 20.4 billion).

On the other side of the Gulf, Iran has a nuclear power plant built by Russia in Bushehr.

In a region under tension around the Iranian nuclear issue, Emirati officials regularly insist on the "peaceful" nature of their program.

The authorities have also repeatedly reiterated their commitment to "the highest" safety standards, stressing that more than 40 international missions and inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Association of Nuclear Operators (Wano) had taken place since 2010.

The Barakah plant will host the IAEA's most complex exercise at the end of the year, designed to test the country's preparedness and response capacities in the event of a serious nuclear emergency.

Some 170 countries will participate in the 36-hour exercise, which takes place every three to five years.

© 2021 AFP