The construction of Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Al Dhafra Region has been completed, it was announced on Monday.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea visited the plant to celebrate the successful completion.
After completing the construction phase of Unit 1, the project now turns it’s focus on completing operational readiness to obtain the approval of the Operating Licence by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, FANR.
This latest accomplishment is the result of the close collaborative relationship between the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and its prime contractor and joint venture partner, the Korea Electric Power Corporation, KEPCO.
ENEC also continues to manage the construction of Barakah Units 2, 3 and 4, which are likely to achieve even more impressive construction schedules.
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is the largest nuclear energy new build project in the world, with four APR-1400 units under simultaneous construction. Construction of Units 2, 3 and 4 are 92 percent, 81 percent, and 66 percent complete respectively. The construction of the Barakah plant as a whole is now 86 percent complete.
Once the four reactors are online, the facility will deliver clean, efficient and reliable electricity to the UAE grid for decades to come, providing around 25 percent of the country’s electricity requirements and saving up to 21 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
The accomplishment is even more notable, given the complete absence of any previous nuclear industry of infrastructure within the UAE, and it provides a positive reference point for other nations considering the adoption of peaceful nuclear energy.
Commenting on this latest milestone, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed said, "This is a historic moment in our nation’s development as we celebrate the construction completion of Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. The UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme will play a strategic role in the growth of our nation by enhancing our energy security, diversifying our economy, and creating employment opportunities for our people, thereby helping secure the future of generations to come."
His Highness went on to express his pride in the role played by Emirati professionals in the project's development, working in close collaboration with Government and regulatory partners, to ensure the delivery of Unit 1 to the highest standards of safety, quality and security. "Today is a historic day for the energy sector of the UAE, as we continue to make progress on one of our nation’s most significant projects," he added.