UAE - Mubasher: The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has completed the construction of Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, a multi-unit operating nuclear energy plant located in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.
The Unit 3 is on track to deliver clean electricity in 2023 to join the fully operational Unit 1, alongside Unit 2 which is connected to the UAE grid and undergoing testing while raising power levels, according to a press release on Thursday.
The unit's next phase includes the completion of the operational readiness preparations, testing, regulatory inspections, and international assessments required to obtain the Operating License from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) 26 on climate change during Energy Day.
By 2025, the Barakah plant is expected to cut Abu Dhabi's carbon emissions by 50%, in line with the UAE’s objective to use nuclear technology to produce clean electricity.
When full operation, the plant will generate 5.6 gigawatts of free carbon electricity for over 60 years to come.
The Managing Director and CEO of ENEC, Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, commented: "The Barakah Plant, with its rapid decarbonisation of the power sector, is delivering climate solutions today and with Unit 3 construction now complete, we are progressing smoothly towards supplying a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs completely carbon-free."
Meanwhile, Al Hammadi added: "By developing nuclear energy in the UAE, ENEC is enabling sustainable growth and prosperity for the Nation through the provision of abundant, 24/7 clean electricity, whilst underpinning intermittent renewables and creating a bridge to other clean energy technologies like green hydrogen."
