UAE's Barakah nuclear plant marks one year of full operations

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) is marking one year since the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant reached full-fleet operations.

All four reactors are now generating 25 per cent of the UAE’s electricity needs, delivering 40 terawatt-hours (TWh) of clean power over the past year.

Since Unit 1 began operating, Barakah has produced over 120 TWh — enough to power a city the size of New York for a year. It’s also helping the UAE avoid more than 22 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, making it the largest source of clean energy in the region.

Mohamed Al Hammadi, ENEC's Managing Director and CEO, says Barakah is delivering on its promise of reliable, round-the-clock power, thanks to long-term planning and international collaboration.

The plant has also helped build a skilled Emirati-led nuclear workforce, with over 2,000 UAE nationals contributing to its success.

The project, completed in partnership with Korea Electric Power Corporation and overseen by the UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), was delivered safely and efficiently, with a 40 per cent reduction in cost, time and labour between its first and final reactor units.

Construction of the facility began in July 2012, and with the start of construction of Unit 4 in 2015, Barakah became the world’s largest nuclear energy construction site with four identical reactors being safely built simultaneously on one site at that time.

The construction of Unit 4 was completed in December 2023 and started operations in September 2024.

.@ENEC_UAE has marked one year since Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant achieved full-fleet operations, with all four APR1400 reactor units now providing 25 per cent of the UAE’s electricity needs, significantly advancing the nation’s clean energy transition. pic.twitter.com/8lqMGQXU1y

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) September 8, 2025