UAE begins nuclear energy production at Barakah plant

UAE begins nuclear energy production at Barakah plant

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) said on Saturday that its operating and maintenance subsidiary Nawah Energy Company (Nawah) has successfully started up Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, located in the Al Dhafrah Region of Abu Dhabi.

The UAE is the first Arab country, and the 33rd nation globally, to produce nuclear energy.

When fully operational, the plant will produce 5.6 gigawatts of electricity while preventing the release of more than 21 million tons of carbon emissions every year, equivalent to the removal of 3.2 million cars from the nation's roads annually, reported official news agency WAM.

"This milestone, which comes a few days after the launch of the Hope Probe, confirms that our state - guided by Emirati cadres - is steadily progressing ahead with well-weighed plans towards building a robust knowledge base in all fields,“ said UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Nawah, a joint venture nuclear operations and maintenance subsidiary of ENEC and the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) received the Operating License from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulations (FANR) - the UAE's independent nuclear regulator - in February and undertook an extensive testing programme leading to the beginning of operations at the first nuclear