Korea Electric Power Corp., the main contractor of the UAE nuclear power project, and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC) said on June 12 the construction stage of the fourth and final unit of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, being built in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is completed. It has entered the stage of preparing for commercial operation.
The construction of the fourth unit started with concrete placement for its reactor building in July 2015, and wrapped up with a recent test operation after undergoing a cold hydrostatic test in May 2020 and the hot functional test in July 2022.
The unit obtained the go-ahead on its operation from UAE regulatory authorities and it entered a stage of preparing for a fuel load.
The first, second and third unit of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant went into commercial operation in April 2021, March 2022 and February 2023, respectively, in an interval of less than one year, supplying clean electricity in a stable fashion around the clock.
The simultaneous completion of the four units within about one year has been done successfully by reflecting the experience KEPCO accumulated in the course of building the preceding units.
The first to third nuclear power units, each with a 1,400MW APR1400 reactor, currently supply 4,200MW power to the UAE, greatly contributing to the UAE government’s “2050 Net Zero” initiative of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to clean energy.
When the fourth and last unit is put into commercial operation, the Barakah Nuclear Power Unit will be responsible for supplying 25 percent of the UAE’s power in the future.
The nuclear power plant, the largest clean energy source tin he Arab region, is expected to ramp up the UAE’s energy security and play a bigger role in coping with climate change.
On Jan. 16, 2023, President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a visit to the UAE, toured the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant to celebrate the commercial operation of the third unit and conduct an inspection of the construction of the fourth unit.
President Yoon gave words of encouragement to Korean and UAE workers at the construction site.
“Team Korea,” including KEPCO, plans to devote itself to successfully carrying out the UAE nuclear power project, and it is expected to expand its foothold in the overseas nuclear power market, which is growing fast, by making the most of the achievement.
Household Electricity Users Entitled to Up to 100 Won in Cash-Back per 1KWh
Korea Electric Power Corp. has dramatically raised an energy cash-back for household customers who join a drive to conserve energy consumption, also a step to ease their burden on electricity charges, starting with bills for July.
Would-be beneficiaries are advised to apply for the cash\ back from June 7.
In the past, applications for household energy-related cash back were accepted from each month when applications were made.
The expansion of the cash back is feared to bring about an application rush, so applications for cash back for July are accepted in June in advance, and users who submit applications belatedly until Aug. 31 will be entitled to the benefit retroactively.
Effective in July, household users will be entitled to up to 100 won in cash backs per 1KWh they conserve: an additional 30 won to 70 won on top of the conventional refund of 30 won.
The household cash back system made its debut last year. Household electricity users were entitled to 30 won in the basic cash-back per 1KWh when they cut down on electricity more than 30 percent compared to the same month of the past two years and saw their reduction rate higher than the average rate on the same day and in the same region.
As for bills for July, household electricity users are entitled to an additional 30 won to 70 won in cash back per 1KWh, on top of the basic cash back when they cut back on electricity consumption by more than 5 percent compared to the average of the same month of the past two previous years, and according to a reduction rate of up to 30 percent.
In the past, household electricity users were allowed to choose how to receive the cash back: via cash or deduction from electricity bills.
The payment method of the cash back has been changed to a deduction from bills for the following month.
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