Emirates Nuclear Energy has begun loading fuel assemblies into the Unit 3 reactor at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, marking a major milestone in the UAE's move towards nuclear-powered clean electricity. The milestone comes after ENEC's operations and maintenance subsidiary, Nawah Energy, received an operating license for Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant from the UAE Federal Nuclear Regulatory Authority, approving Unit 3 to operate alongside Units 1 and 2.

With this achievement, the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme is close to achieving its multiple economic, social and environmental goals, said Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, representative of the ruler of the Al Dhafra region. The Barakah nuclear power plant has become one of the main pillars of the country's sustainable development because of its abundant and environmentally friendly power sources, in addition it has played a key role in the success of the transformation of the country's energy sector by accelerating the reduction of the sector's carbon footprint. , relying entirely on carbon-free energy.

UAE nuclear power reaches a new level

Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, said: "We are delighted to have obtained the operating license for Unit 3 of the Barakah Power Plant and we look forward to starting reliable power production with Units 1 and 2, in the next few days. months. We are rapidly delivering practical climate solutions that will enable the UAE to undertake large-scale decarbonization efforts while growing its economy and lead the way to net-zero emissions by 2050." Following a review and inspection, receipt of the Unit 3 Operating License confirms that the plant, personnel, plans, policies and procedures meet the stringent standards of the FANR.

Al Hammadi added: "The success and benefits of each unit in Barakah being brought into operation for several consecutive years since Unit 1 in 2020 demonstrates the development of a multi-unit nuclear power plant in advancing a long-term commitment to a civil nuclear programme. process.” In addition, all voluntary reviews by the IAEA and the World Association of Nuclear Operators have been successfully completed. Before obtaining FANR clearance, WANO completed a pre-launch review confirming that the unit was ready to operate.

Ali Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer, Engineer, Nawah, who operates and maintains the Barakah Plant, commented: "The acquisition of the third operating license for the Barakah Plant is the result of more than 520 rigorous reviews by our independent regulators to date, FANR, 120 of which are specifically related to Unit3. The reviews cover all aspects of the factory to ensure we are ready to operate in compliance with national regulatory requirements. Successfully passing these reviews is a testament to the expertise we have developed and the excellent operational experience of our team, these The team is made up of highly skilled and qualified UAE nationals and international experts. As they progress in bringing another sector into the operational phase, we appreciate the dedication of our highly qualified professionals and the achievement of milestones in accordance with the highest standards of performance and operational excellence proud of it.”

This is the third unit to enter the operational phase in the past three years, leveraging the expertise and experience of the operations team, as well as knowledge gained during the loading of fuel to Unit 1 in February 2020 and Unit 2 in March 2021. With the fuel loading process complete, the operations team will continue to prepare for the start-up of the unit later this year, followed by the delivery of the first megawatts of clean and reliable power. For over a decade, ENEC has implemented a robust training and qualification program to ensure that it has certified nuclear power plant operators and engineers capable of safely operating three nuclear installations simultaneously. When it begins full-power operation in the next few months, the third unit will add another 1,400 megawatts of zero-carbon electricity to the national grid, similar to each of the other two reactor units, propelling the country to meet the Its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Keywords: engineering construction, engineering news

The Barakah nuclear power plant is the only multi-unit nuclear power plant in the Arab world. As a source of sustainable and stable power for the country, the plant creates high-value jobs and stimulates the development of local industry. Barakah also provides significant environmental benefits to the country today and for the next 60 years and beyond through the rapid decarbonisation of the energy sector. When fully operational, the plant will reduce carbon emissions by 22.4 million tons per year, a major cause of climate change. The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, located in the Al Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world with four APR-1400 units. Unit 4 is in the final commissioning phase before construction is complete.Editor/XingWentao