Drone Attack Hits UAE Barakah Nuclear Plant... No Reported Casualties Yet

UAE: "Fire Breaks Out After Drone Attack... Emergency Response Initiated"
"Core Nuclear Plant Systems Operating Normally"

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant complex in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), built by South Korea, was set on fire after being attacked by a single drone. No casualties have been reported so far.

Aerial view of Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Photo by Yonhap News

According to Reuters and other sources, the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office announced on May 17 (local time), "A fire broke out due to a drone attack at a generator located outside the internal perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra region, prompting an emergency response." However, UAE authorities did not mention who was behind the drone attack.

It has been confirmed that there was no impact on the level of radiological safety. The UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) stated that all core systems of the plant are operating normally.

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant was one of the facilities identified by Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency as a potential target since the outbreak of the Iran war, with the plant specifically mentioned in February.

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant is the first commercial nuclear power plant in the Middle East, constructed in Abu Dhabi using the next-generation nuclear reactor model (APR1400) developed with Korea Electric Power Corporation’s own technology. After winning the contract in 2009, all four units (totaling 5,600 MW) began full commercial operation in April 2024 and now supply approximately 25% of the UAE's total electricity demand.

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