UAE starts operating Unit 4 of Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, officials outline benefits of producing ‘clean electricity’

by times news cr

2024-03-01T16:47:44+00:00

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/ The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announced today, Friday, the start of operations in the fourth unit of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the first multi-station nuclear energy project in the operational phase in the Arab world since 2020, while the director of the corporation confirmed that the Barakah plants produced 75% of clean electricity per Emirati person, more than any other country in the world.

According to a statement published by the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the Nawah Energy Company, a subsidiary of the corporation, is responsible for operating and maintaining the stations.

The start of operations at the fourth unit of Barakah means the start of the nuclear fission process in the reactor for the first time to produce heat that operates steam turbines to produce electricity, according to the statement. In the coming weeks, the fourth unit will be connected to the UAE’s electricity grid, after the reactor’s power reaches a certain percentage, then tests will be conducted to gradually increase the reactor’s power level, until it reaches its maximum power level, followed by the start of commercial operation within several months.

Each unit of Barakah was operated more efficiently than the previous one, by applying the lessons learned and knowledge and experience gained from the previous units to the subsequent units, as the third unit was operated four months faster than the second unit, and five months faster than the first unit, which confirms the advantage of developing multiple units gradually and in stages.

The Barakah Four-Station Project, the first multi-station nuclear power project in operation in the Arab world, was completed within a suitable timetable, with one station starting up every year since 2020.

The Barakah plant uses four APR-1400 pressurized water reactors, each capable of producing up to 1,400 megawatts of clean electricity.

“In the past five years, the UAE has added more clean electricity per capita than any other country in the world, with 75 percent of this electricity generated by the Barakah plant alone, demonstrating the importance of nuclear energy in reducing the carbon footprint of the energy sector,” said Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO of ENEC.

Upon completion of final testing and commercial operation in the coming months, Unit 4 will increase the plant’s total capacity to 5,600 megawatts of carbon-free electricity, equivalent to providing up to 25 percent of the UAE’s electricity needs.

The Barakah plants, which are a fundamental pillar of sustainable development, energy security and stability, will contribute a quarter of the country’s carbon footprint reduction commitments under the UN Paris Agreement to achieve global climate goals.

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