ENEC moves forward with UAE's first nuclear energy plant

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has made further progress in the development of the country’s first nuclear energy plant, with the successful installation of its Unit 3 Reactor Vessel (RV) at Barakah.

The installation is a critical step in the continued progress and delivery of the country’s third nuclear energy unit - the RV is one of the most important features and largest components in a nuclear energy plant.

Weighing over 400 tonnes and measuring almost 15 metres in height, the RV will eventually contain the controlled nuclear reaction that will generate the nuclear energy that will feed into the UAE grid. It is also one of the many defense-in-depth barriers that ensures the safety of nuclear energy plants.

The installation was celebrated at an event held at the Barakah Plant hosted by ENEC’s CEO, Mohamed Al Hammadii. He said: “The safe and successful installation of ENEC’s third reactor vessel is the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication. All teams involved have worked to the highest standards of safety and quality and I would like to personally thank the KEPCO and Doosan teams for their commitment to the Barakah project’s development. ENEC is committed to delivering a world-class nuclear energy program and as we move from construction through to operations we continue to improve, particularly in the overall project management.

"The phased approach to completing each unit with a substantial amount of time between each one, means each unit’s development adopts the efficiencies learned from the previous one. Safe, clean and reliable nuclear energy has an important role to play in the future of our nation. The peaceful nuclear energy programme is instrumental and will bring many benefits, from the creation of high-value job opportunities to the emergence of a new sophisticated industrial sector to support operations in Barakah."

When the four reactors are completed, the UAE’s nuclear energy program will provide approximately 25 percent of its electricity needs.

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Read the July 2016 issue of Business Review Middle East magazine