The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announced yesterday a historic achievement for the UAE with the commercial operation of Unit 4 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, making this the first time that all four plants are fully operational.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, said: “With the start of operations at Unit 4 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the UAE takes another important step in its journey towards achieving the goal of climate neutrality.”
His Highness stressed in a tweet on the “X” platform: “We will continue to prioritize energy security and sustainability, for the good of the UAE and its people, now and in the future.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, also praised the new Emirati achievement. His Highness said in a tweet on the “X” platform yesterday: “Today, thank God, the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant completed the full commercial operation of its stations. Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant will provide 25% of the country’s electricity needs. Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is the largest source of clean energy in the region. Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant has added the highest percentage of clean electricity per capita in the past five years in the world, 75% of which is produced by Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant will reduce carbon emissions annually by 22 million tons, equivalent to removing 4.8 million cars from the roads. Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is the vision, decision and project of Mohammed bin Zayed, may God protect him. An Emirati achievement.. Arab pride.. and a global addition to protecting the planet.”
His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, said in a post on the “X” platform, “The operation of the fourth unit in Barakah is an important step towards enhancing energy security and protecting the environment.”
His Highness also stressed that “this achievement embodies the UAE’s commitment to its approach to sustainability and ensuring a better future for future generations.”
Economic returns
The Barakah nuclear power plant project is one of the most successful new nuclear energy projects in the past 30 years. It is a global model in nuclear project management and a reference for all countries seeking to develop peaceful nuclear energy projects. The Barakah nuclear power plant project confirms the UAE’s commitment to the highest standards of safety, security and transparency.
The four Barakah plants currently produce 40 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, and up to 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs without carbon emissions, which is enough for the needs of 16 million electric cars. Thus, the plants have become the largest contributor to reducing the carbon footprint in the country and the region, as the Barakah plants reduce 22.4 million tons of carbon emissions each year, which is equivalent to removing 4.6 million cars from the roads annually.
The Barakah plants also provide significant and multiple economic returns, as natural gas consumption for energy production in Abu Dhabi has fallen to its lowest level in 13 years, despite increasing demand, due to the significant contribution of the Barakah plants to the energy mix in Abu Dhabi.
Educational and training opportunities
The Barakah plants play a key role in helping UAE companies reduce their carbon footprint, especially since 85% of the electricity in the Emirates Water and Electricity Company’s Clean Energy Certificates programme is generated by the Barakah plants, which companies such as ADNOC, Emirates Global Aluminium and Emirates Steel Arkan use to produce environmentally friendly products that can be sold at competitive prices to Abu Dhabi-based companies.
The Barakah stations contributed to developing an advanced and new sector in the UAE, enhancing local studies in nuclear sciences, in addition to providing educational and training opportunities for Emirati youth. More than 2,000 Emirati competencies participated in developing the stations, in addition to awarding contracts to local companies worth more than AED 22.5 billion, which contributed to enhancing local added value.
thoughtful approach
“In 2008, the UAE’s wise leadership took a measured approach by issuing a comprehensive policy for the development of peaceful nuclear energy in the UAE to enhance its efforts in transitioning to clean energy sources,” said Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation. “With the commercial operation of Unit 4 at Barakah, this vision has been realized, as the four Barakah units produce 25% of the country’s electricity needs, reinforcing the country’s leading position in the development of peaceful nuclear energy worldwide. Nuclear energy is an attractive sector for global industries that require huge amounts of electricity.”
strategic decision
“We are proud of this great achievement for the UAE, and we appreciate the continued support of the wise leadership that has enabled us to develop a new source of clean energy in the country, which has added more per capita clean electricity in the past five years worldwide than any other country. 75% of this electricity was generated from the Barakah 2 plant, which confirms that the decision to add nuclear energy to the country’s energy mix alongside renewable sources was a strategic decision that enhances energy security and consolidates the country’s regional leadership role in this growing sector,” said Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO of ENEC.
Al Hammadi added: “The Barakah plants have become a new global model, confirming that nuclear energy is economically viable and can be developed efficiently. The commercial operation phase of the Barakah plants began within eight years, from the beginning of pouring concrete to loading fuel, with the timeline for the fourth plant being accelerated, compared to the first, from the start of operational readiness to commercial operation, by 40%.”
“I would like to thank the team who have worked tirelessly to develop the nuclear knowledge that has enabled us to achieve this milestone. With our expertise, the Corporation is now well positioned to move forward into the next phase of growth to achieve the goals of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program, including establishing companies and developing and investing in more new nuclear energy projects locally and abroad, which represents a qualitative leap for the nuclear energy sector in the country,” he added.
Reliable production
“The Barakah plant reliably and efficiently generates a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs, providing a stable supply of energy for 60 years and minimising price volatility. This provides an important platform for UAE energy producers to build their future plans, highlighting one of the key benefits of modern nuclear power plants. Combined with one of the highest rates of return on investment in energy among other energy sources, the Barakah plant ensures significant returns for generations to come,” said Nasser Al Nasseri, CEO of Barakah One Company, the subsidiary of ENEC that oversees the financial and commercial affairs of the Barakah plants.
“The joining of Unit 4 at Barakah to the other three units is a historic achievement that will provide clean and reliable electricity to the UAE. We are committed to continuing to adhere to regulations and standards as a top priority, with a complete focus on reliable and safe operation and maintenance in pursuit of operational excellence,” said Ali Al Hammadi, CEO of Nawah Energy Company, the subsidiary of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, which is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the Barakah plant.
He added: “The Barakah plants and work teams have undergone 496 inspections by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, 84 reviews by the World Association of Nuclear Operators, and 15 missions by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which demonstrates our commitment to the highest standards and operational excellence, in accordance with local regulations and international safety standards.”
The completion of the commercial operation of the four Barakah plants comes amid growing global awareness of the pivotal role of nuclear energy in reducing the carbon footprint of energy systems and achieving climate neutrality, especially since the International Energy Agency expects global demand for electricity to rise at a faster rate over the next three years, by up to 3.4% annually until 2026.
This announcement strengthens the position of ENEC and the UAE in the efforts to triple nuclear energy, which will be necessary to meet the increasing demand for clean electricity resulting from the continued growth of artificial intelligence and the data center infrastructure required for AI, in addition to semiconductor facilities.
Achieving climate neutrality
The Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, confirmed that the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant represents a major achievement for the UAE’s peaceful nuclear program, which has developed important local capabilities in this sector and presented a global model in terms of accelerating the transition to clean energy sources.
“The Barakah plants are currently the largest contributor to reducing the carbon footprint in the United Arab Emirates, and reflect the country’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 2030. The Barakah plants produce safe, clean and reliable electricity around the clock, supporting our country’s social and economic growth, in addition to confronting climate change,” she said.
She added that as a result, the Barakah plants have become pioneers in the field of sustainability, and are leading efforts to achieve the UAE’s Climate Neutrality Strategy 2050.
She pointed out that the UAE is consolidating its leading position in the global march towards clean energy sources. Over the past five years, the country has added more clean electricity per capita annually than any other country, with more than 75% of this electricity being produced from the Barakah plants.
She explained that the increasing demand for electricity, stimulated by developments in areas such as artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology, confirms the significant role of nuclear energy as a reliable source of clean energy and a pivotal contributor to reducing the carbon footprint and achieving climate neutrality.
• 25% of the country’s electricity needs are produced by the four Barakah plants.
• 2,000 Emirati talents participated in the development of Barakah plants.
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