Completion of UAE Nuclear Power Plant Unit 4 Construction... Entering Operational Preparation Phase

Power Demand Accounts for 25% During Operation of Units 1 to 4

Construction of Unit 4, the final reactor among the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 to 4 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which South Korea secured in 2009, has been completed.

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), the main contractor for the UAE nuclear power project, and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), the client, announced on the 9th that "the construction phase of Unit 4, the final unit of the UAE nuclear power plant, has been completed and the project has entered the operational readiness phase."

Unit 4 began with the placement of the reactor building’s foundation concrete in July 2015, followed by the cold hydrostatic test in May 2020 and the hot functional test in July 2022. Recently, after completing tests for commissioning, the construction phase was finalized, and the project has entered the operational readiness phase to obtain operational approval from the UAE regulatory authority and to load fuel.

Units 1 to 3 of the UAE nuclear power plant have all commenced commercial operation within the past three years, with the three units starting commercial operation at intervals of less than one year. The UAE nuclear power plant uses the Korean-designed 1400MW APR1400 reactor model, and Units 1 to 3 currently supply 4200MW of clean power within the UAE. It is expected to contribute to the UAE government’s ‘2050 Net Zero Carbon Reduction Policy’ and transition to clean energy.

A KEPCO official stated, "Once Unit 4 of the UAE nuclear power plant is fully operational, it will account for about 25% of the UAE’s future electricity demand," adding, "We plan to actively enter the expanding overseas nuclear power market using this as a stepping stone."

Overview of Unit 4 at Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, UAE.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.