Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), subsidiary of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), has received the operating license for Unit 1 of Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant from Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR)
The operating license, approved by the FANR Board of Directors on 16 February 2020, has authorised Nawah to operate Unit 1 of the Barakah Plant for 60 years.
Following receipt, Nawah has commenced loading the first nuclear fuel assemblies as the initial step in the process towards commencing operations and subsequent generation of clean electricity.
Once the fuel assemblies are loaded, Nawah will run a series of tests, prior to commencing the start-up sequence process known as power ascension testing (PAT), where operators will safely and steadily raise the power generation levels. During this process, which will be safety led, the unit will be synchronised to the grid, and the first megawatts of electricity will be dispatched.
Following the completion of these tests, Unit 1 will begin commercial operations.
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is the cornerstone of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, which adheres to the highest international standards of safety, security, quality, transparency and non-proliferation.
As the operator of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, Nawah focuses on ensuring that the Barakah plant is operated in line with all regulatory requirements and in full cooperation and collaboration with all relevant local, regional and international stakeholders.
