Name of the Project
Barakah nuclear energy plant.

Location
The project is located in the western region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on the Arabian Gulf, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Project Owner/s
Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC).

Project Description
The project involves the construction of the UAE’s first nuclear energy plant, comprising four APR1400 nuclear reactors.

The APR1400 is a pressurised water reactor and each unit produces up to 1 400 MW of electricity. The reactors have an operational life span of 60 years.

The four reactors will provide about 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs, preventing up to 12-million tonnes of greenhouse-gas emissions each year.

Potential Job Creation
ENEC’s workforce of more than 1 700 employees will increase to about 2 500 to operate and maintain the plant.

Capital Expenditure
The project is valued at about $20-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
Construction began on Unit 1 in July 2012, Unit 2 in May 2013, Unit 3 in September 2014 and Unit 4 in September 2015.

Latest Developments
Nawah Energy Company, the operations and maintenance subsidiary of the ENEC, has confirmed that the specially trained fuel handling team at Barakah has started loading the first nuclear fuel assemblies into the reactor of Unit 2 of the nuclear energy plant. This is the first step in the process towards gradually beginning operations and the generation of clean electricity.

This activity follows Nawah’s receipt of the operating licence for Unit 2 from the UAE’s independent nuclear regulator, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation.

The same process was successfully completed at Unit 1 in early 2020, marking a year of safe operations and clean electricity generation at the Barakah plant.

Once the fuel assemblies are loaded for Unit 2, Nawah will run a series of tests before starting the startup sequence process, known as power ascension testing, where operators will gradually raise the power generation levels. The unit will then be synchronised to the grid and the first megawatts of electricity will be dispatched. Following the successful completion of these tests, Unit 2 will enter commercial operation.

ENEC applied for the operating licences for Barakah units 1 and 2 on behalf of Nawah in 2015. The decision to approve Unit 2's licence followed the regulator's systematic review of the 14 000-page licence application, more than 220 inspections and requests for 59 additional items of information to ensure the plant's complete compliance with all regulatory requirements. The licence is valid for 60 years.

As at March 2021, Unit 3 was 94% complete and Unit 4 was 87% complete.

The plant is more than 95% complete.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Korean Electric Power Corporation (design, build and operate four 1 400 MW nuclear power plants).

Contact Details for Project Information
ENEC, tel +971 2 659 5555 or email info@enec.gov.ae.