UAE’s unit 3 of Barakah plant successfully connected to transmission grid: a big leap towards clean energy

Taking a big leap towards sustainability and clean energy, the United Arab Emirates has started up its Barakah nuclear energy plant. The ENEC (Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation) has announced of connecting unit 3 (third reactor) to the power transmission grid of UAE by its operations and maintenance subsidiary, Nawah Energy Company (Nawah). With this there has been successful delivery of the first megawatts of clean energy – carbon free electricity – from the third of the four units at the Barakah Plant.

Unit 3 of Barakah plant will add another 1,400 megawatts of zero carbon emission electricity capacity to the national grid, a major step towards the clean energy goal of UAE and guaranteeing sustainability to tackle climate change.

His Excellency Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, said, “Our leadership’s long-term vision and decisions more than 13 years ago are paying dividends today as we celebrate another proud moment for the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program. Connecting Unit 3 to the UAE transmission grid adds thousands more megawatts of clean electricity to power all aspects of society, replaces the need to burn $4bn worth of gas which can be diverted for export, and through Clean Energy Certification, gives many companies in the UAE a unique competitive advantage. I am proud of our Emirati led teams who continue to showcase world-class levels of capability, knowledge and expertise – powering a Net Zero economy through their work. Congratulations to everyone who has helped make these achievements a reality.”

Both the units 1 and 2 of Barakah plant are already operating commercially and generating clean electricity. Now with Unit 3 close to commercial operations in the coming months, Barakah is ramping up the decarbonization of the power sector, marking itself as an essential component of the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategy.

Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, managing director and CEO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec), said, “Connecting Unit 3 to the UAE transmission grid adds thousands more megawatts of clean electricity to power all aspects of society; replaces the need to burn $4 billion worth of gas which can be diverted for export; and through Clean Energy Certification, gives many companies in the UAE a unique competitive advantage.”

“I am proud of our Emirati-led teams who continue to showcase world-class levels of capability, knowledge and expertise — powering a Net Zero economy through their work. Congratulations to everyone who has helped make these achievements a reality.”