Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation says it has achieved a series of significant milestones in the construction of Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant
Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) said on Tuesday it has achieved a series of significant milestones in the construction of Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.
ENEC said it has successfully completed the concrete pouring, installation of the turbine generator, and the internal components of the reactor vessel, paving the way for the commencement of testing and commissioning.
It said construction crews will begin transitioning from Unit 3 to Unit 4, taking with them the lessons learned during their construction of Units 1, 2 and 3.
The completion of major construction work on Unit 3 comes about one year after the completion of the similar work on Unit 2, and two years after the completion of the same work on Unit 1, ENEC added.
“I am proud of the continued adherence to the highest standards of quality and safety displayed by our teams here in Barakah, which is setting the benchmark for efficiency in nuclear energy plant construction projects around the world,” said Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of ENEC.
He added that in addition to completing major construction and concrete work, Unit 3 is now fully connected to the Abu Dhabi Transmission & Despatch Company’s (TRANSCO’s) transmission grid.
ENEC said the project at Barakah is progressing steadily, with the construction completion of Unit 2 standing at 93 percent, Unit 3 at 83 percent, and Unit 4 at 72 percent, while the overall construction completion is more than 89 percent.
The construction of Unit 1 has been completed in accordance with the highest global standards of quality and safety, and it is currently undergoing commissioning and testing, prior to the final regulatory reviews and receipt of the operating licence.
All four units will will save up to 21 million tons of carbon emissions each year, equivalent to removing 3.2 million cars from the roads, ENEC added.
Last week it was announced that its first nuclear reactor would come online in late 2019 or early 2020.
The first of four reactors at the $20 billion Barakah plant had been due to come online last year, but the launch was initially delayed until 2018 to make time for regulatory approvals and complete safety checks.
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