Abu Dhabi: The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) announced that its operating and maintenance subsidiary, Nawah Energy Company, has successfully started up Unit 4 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region.
This marks a significant step towards commercial operations.
The start-up of Unit 4 at the Barakah Plant marks its initial production of heat through nuclear fission, used for generating electricity by turning a turbine with steam, Abu Dhabi Media Office (ADMO) reported.
In the coming weeks, Unit 4 will link to the national electricity grid, entering a testing phase to gradually increase its power output to full capacity.
“The start-up of the fourth unit of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is a significant achievement as we now enter into a new era to deliver the full promise of the Barakah Plant,” Mohamed Al Hammadi, managing director and CEO of ENEC, said.
“In the past five years, the UAE has added more clean electricity per capita than any other nation globally, with 75 per cent coming solely from the Barakah Plant, demonstrating how pivotal nuclear energy is in decarbonising the country’s power sector,” he noted.
Barakah, the first Arab multi-unit operational nuclear plant, has been operational since 2020, demonstrating steady progress and extensive megaproject management expertise.
The Barakah Plant uses four APR-1400 pressurised water reactors, each capable of producing up to 1,400 megawatts of clean electricity.
Unit 3 was delivered four months faster than Unit 2 and five months faster than Unit 1, demonstrating the significant benefit of building multiple units within a phased timeline.
The commercial operations will commence once the testing process is complete.
Unit 4 of the Barakah Plant is set to increase the plant’s capacity to 5,600 megawatts of zero-carbon emission electricity, meeting 25% of the UAE’s electricity demand.
