Wednesday, August 19th – The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) in the UAE announced the connection of the first unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant to the national electricity grid, about two weeks after the start-up of the first reactor.
The authority considered that connecting the first unit to the electricity network was a “success for a series of safety tests conducted after the start of the normal operation phase.” It stated that the Nawah Energy company, the operator of the plant, will gradually raise energy levels, in what is known as the “Power Ascension Testing (PAT)”.
The task of linking and connecting to the national electricity grid is undertaken by the Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company (TRANSCO). It constructed 952 kilometers of 400-kilovolt overhead lines to connect the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant No. 1 unit to the Abu Dhabi power grid. This ensures that the power generated in Barakah is safely and reliably delivered to consumers across the UAE.
The Barakah plant, located west of Abu Dhabi, consists of four units featuring four APR1400 reactors developed by the Korean KEPCO, with a capacity of 1,400 MW each. The value of the agreement amounted to about $24.4 billion US.
With the plant operational, the four power reactors are expected to provide about 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs.
The Barakah nuclear plant is expected to contribute to reducing 21 million tons of carbon emissions annually, while providing the country with safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly electrical energy.
