United Arab Emirates: First Nuclear Power Plant in Arab World is 100% Operational
A nuclear power plant would reduce emissions by more than 22 million tons of carbon per year
The United Arab Emirates announced “the completion of the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant.” As Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, wrote on X social network (formerly Twitter), “on September 5, commercial power generation was started in the fourth reactor of the Barakah nuclear power plant,” located in the northwest of this Gulf country. The nuclear power plant was built in cooperation with South Korea.
President bin Zayed Al Nahyan said it was “a significant step on his country’s and the world’s path to net zero.” For the President of the United Arab Emirates, “the Barakah nuclear power plant represents the largest decarbonization effort in the Emirates and the entire region.” By commissioning the nuclear power plant, “carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by more than 22 million tons per year,” which is equivalent to “removing 4.6 million cars from the roads each year.”
With the Barakah NPP, the United Arab Emirates has met 24% of its commitment to decarbonize the nation by 2030. According to the Emirati newspaper The National, the Barakah nuclear power plant “will produce 40 terawatt hours of electricity per year,” which will meet 25% of the Emirates’ electricity needs. The first of the four reactors was commissioned in April 2021 and has already reduced emissions of more than 5 million tons of carbon in its first year of operation.
