The oil-rich United Arab Emirates on Thursday introduced the completion of the Arab world’s first nuclear energy plant, calling it a “important step”.
Abu Dhabi’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant will produce 40 terawatt-hours of electrical energy yearly after its fourth and ultimate reactor has entered industrial operation, the state-owned Emirates Nuclear Power Company (ENEC) stated in a press release.
It would generate 25 % of the electrical energy wants of the new, desert Gulf state, the place air-conditioning is ubiquitous — almost the equal of New Zealand’s annual consumption, ENEC stated.
The station will energy firms together with the Abu Dhabi Nationwide Oil Firm (ADNOC), one of many world’s largest oil producers, Emirates Metal and Emirates International Aluminium, ENEC stated.
Barakah, which suggests “blessing” in Arabic, began operations in 2020 when the primary of its 4 reactors went into service.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s high oil exporter, has additionally stated it plans to construct nuclear reactors.
Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan hailed Barakah’s completion as a “important step on the journey in direction of internet zero”.
“We are going to proceed to prioritise power safety and sustainability for the good thing about our nation and our individuals right now and tomorrow,” he stated in a put up on social media platform X.
In line with the Worldwide Atomic Power Company, the plant “must be disassembled on the finish of its helpful life, in round 60-80 years”.
The UAE, which is made up of seven emirates, together with the capital Abu Dhabi and financial hub Dubai, is without doubt one of the largest oil producers within the OPEC cartel.
The nation was largely constructed on oil however is spending billions to develop sufficient renewable power to cowl half of its wants by 2050.
Final 12 months, it hosted the COP28 UN local weather talks which resulted in an settlement to “transition away” from fossil fuels.
The UAE lies throughout the Gulf from Iran which has a Russian-built nuclear energy plant exterior the coastal metropolis of Bushehr, in addition to a controversial uranium enrichment programme.
The UAE has repeatedly stated its nuclear ambitions are for “peaceable functions” and dominated out growing any enrichment programme or nuclear reprocessing applied sciences.
The nation makes use of gas-powered stations for a lot of its electrical energy wants, but in addition has one of many world’s largest photo voltaic vegetation exterior Abu Dhabi.
