ENR: The commercial operation of the third Barakah plant is the culmination of great efforts made over the past years

Since issuing the operating license in June 2022 for Unit III at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, FANR has continued its monitoring duties in the fuel loading phase and the various tests that were conducted, which included the normal operation phase known as "criticality" and connecting the unit to the local electricity grid leading to full commercial operation.
In a statement today on the occasion of the commercial commencement of the third Barakah plant, DEWA affirmed Nawah's commitment to all regulatory requirements to commence this important phase. This achievement comes as a result of FANR's extensive monitoring activities, including continuous inspection and monitoring, to ensure the safety and security of the nuclear power plant.
Following the issuance of the operating license and the commercial operation of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, FANR conducted a range of monitoring activities, including inspection through its resident inspectors and dispatching additional inspectors to follow up on the various stages of the tests.
DEWA also continuously verifies the level of preparedness and preparedness for emergencies as well as follows up on environmental monitoring through independent monitoring stations located around the station.
Christer Viktorsen, Director General of FANR, said: "The commercial operation of Unit III of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is the culmination of the great efforts made over the years since the establishment of the UAE Nuclear Energy Program. During this period, DEWA reviewed all the details of the plant from site selection, construction, testing to operation to ensure that the operator complies with all regulatory requirements to ensure the safety of the community and the environment. FANR will continue its supervisory role in inspecting the plant during the commissioning phase to ensure that all conditions are met."
"FANR is proud to have Emirati experts in nuclear energy who have played a vital role in licensing the plant from the outset, such as participating in inspections covering nuclear safety, nuclear security and non-proliferation. We are proud that more than 74% of the workforce is Emiratis. I would like to congratulate the UAE government and leadership on achieving such an achievement."
With the start of commercial operation of the third unit, FANR intends to carry out its monitoring and inspection tasks to ensure the safety and security of the nuclear plant as part of its mission to protect the community, workers and the environment.