A whole view of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Nos. 1 to 4, being built by Korea in the United Arab Emirates. (Photos: KEPCO)A whole view of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Nos. 1 to 4, being built by Korea in the United Arab Emirates. (Photos: KEPCO)

The UAE government announced the commercial operation of Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on April 4.

The commercial operation of Unit 1, built by Korea in the United Arab Emirates, came after the nuclear power facility was loaded with nuclear fuel in March 2020.

It reached an initial threshold and successfully underwent tests such as power ascension and others. The UAE nuclear power project calls for building four APR1400s, Korea’s homegrown nuclear power plant technology for exporting.

A consortium consisting Korean companies participated in the project. Korea Electric Power Corp. is the main contractor. KEPCO is participating as a long-term operation partner with a formant of a joint venture with Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC).

Among Korean companies joining the project are KEPCO E&C, in charge of design, and Doosan Heavy Industries, for producing nuclear equipment.

Hyundai E&C as well as Samsung C&T, charged with construction, as well as Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), responsible for test operation and operation support.

ENEC has been implementing the UAE nuclear power project under the UAE’s peaceful nuclear power program.

Barakah NPP Unit 1, the Arab region’s first nuclear power unit in commercial operation, is a nuclear power facility, reinforced in consideration of the UAE’s climate and other environmental characteristics, based on Korea’s homegrown APR1400 reactor.

The commercial operation of Barakah NPP Unit 1 has proved Korea’s nuclear power technology, construction and management to implement overseas nuclear power projects to the world.

It is expected to serve as an opportunity to secure a springboard to explore the emerging nuclear power market — a possibility of winning a second overseas NPP project.

Korean-UAE collaboration in the nuclear power sector involves a full cycle of nuclear power, ranging from design to construction, operation, nuclear fuel and maintenance.

With the start of the commercial operation of Barakah NPP Unit 1, the two countries are expected to contribute to expanding bilateral relations to other sectors.

The national flags of Korea and the UAE are hung over the first unit of the Barakah NPP, which went into commercial operation on April 7.

Barakah NPP facilities will serve as a base load power source to stabilize a power supply in the UAE. If all four units go into commercial operation, starting with Unit 1, they will have 5.6MW of total capacity, which is equivalent to about 25 percent of the UAE’s peak demand.

Barakah NPP is expected to have an effect of reducing 21 million tons of carbon annual, an equivalent of car exhausts, emitted by 3.2 million vehicles. Barakah NPP will be a clean energy source in the UAE.

Under the leadership of KEPCO, “Team Korea” plans to carry out the project successfully by concentrating on its capabilities on all processes of the follow-up two, three and four units, ranging from construction to full operation.