License issued for unit 2 of the Barakah Power Plant
The first nuclear power plant in the Arab world has received an operating license for its second unit. The Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi's Al-Dhafrah region will include four units with 5,600 megawatts of generating capacity when completed. The plant is expected to supply about a quarter of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) peak power demand, according to government officials. The plant is being built by Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) and will have four pressurized water reactors.
The UAE nuclear regulator announced on March 9 the operating license for Unit 2. Unit 1 was connected to the UAE's national electricity grid in August last year, and in December 2020 it reached 100% of power capacity. of the reactor during testing. Hamad al-Kaabi, vice president of the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Authority (FANR) and representative of the United Arab Emirates at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told a news conference Tuesday that the construction Unit 3 is 94% complete, with Unit 4 87%. “Today's announcement represents a milestone in the UAE journey and the realization of the vision of wise leadership. It is seen as a strategic achievement culminating in efforts made over the past 13 years," Al-Kaabi said. The UAE has signed more than 13 international agreements related to nuclear energy, such as the safeguard agreements and its protocol to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Nuclear Safety Agreement, among others.
The plant is one of a series of projects that seeks to diversify its energy sources and minimize its dependence on oil and gas. These have been implemented by the UAE in recent years in various sectors, such as space, renewable energy, and projects such as Etihad Rail. Qualifying Emiratis to work on the project, especially in jobs that require high scientific knowledge, was a priority for the UAE authorities. Consequently, in 2009 ENEC launched the Energy Pioneers Program to attract UAE citizens, providing study and training opportunities to prepare them to work in the nuclear energy sector. Today, 60% of the workforce at Nawah Energy Company, which operates the Barakah plant, are Emiratis.
The safety of the plant has been of particular concern in the region. Neighboring Qatar only reestablished diplomatic relations with the UAE in January this year, after the Emirati country severed diplomatic ties in the summer of 2017. In March 2019, Qatar submitted a letter of complaint to the IAEA regarding the Barakah plant, saying it had concerns about the safety of the facilities and the UAE's lack of cooperation with regional states on the project. Qatari officials said the nuclear plant threatens both the region's environment and regional stability.
The UAE has reiterated that Barakah adheres to the highest standards of nuclear safety. Last year, FANR said it had conducted nearly 200 inspections of the plant to ensure its "full compliance with all regulatory requirements." Al-Kaabi, announcing the licensing of Unit 1 last year, said: “The UAE Nuclear Energy Program and its regulatory framework adhere to the Safety Standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). and the best international practices, where FANR ensured its implementation during the construction of the Barakah nuclear power plant ”. In addition, the United Arab Emirates will host the IAEA's most complex exercise this year, designed to test countries' preparedness and response capabilities in the event of a serious nuclear emergency and called ConvEx-3. Which "allows the participation of more than 170 countries, including countries in the region," Hamad al-Kaabi added.
Barakah reinforces the soft power of the Emirates, which has become the first in the Arab world and the 31st in the world to produce electricity using nuclear technology. It has finally become the first country in the world to adopt four peaceful nuclear units at the same time in accordance with international safety and security standards.
