Cold Hydrostatic Testing completed at UAE’s Barakah Unit 1 Nuclear Energy Plant

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) today announced completion of Cold Hydrostatic Testing (CHT) at Unit 1 in Barakah.

ENEC commemorated the completion of this testing, which is a crucial step in preparing the plant for commercial operations, with an event attended by Matar Al Neyadi, Under Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Energy, as well as ENEC’s CEO and Senior Management from Kepco and ENEC.

The CHT verified that welds, joints, pipes and components of the reactor coolant system and associated high-pressure systems meet quality standards, as per the regulations of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR). During the testing, previously processed water filled the primary circuit and was circulated by the reactor coolant pumps. These pumps will help to maintain a safe temperature inside the reactor during operations.

This testing follows the completion of a number of significant milestones in the safety-led and quality-driven environment focused on the development of the UAE’s first nuclear energy plant. This includes the energization of the switchyard for Units 1 and 2, which connected the plant to the transmission grid and allowed for the completion of CHT at Unit 1 and the substantial completion of the auxiliary building at Unit 1.

The switchyard connects the generation capabilities of the plant with the transmission network of the Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company (Transco) and the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA), allowing electricity that will be generated at the plant to be carried to UAE homes and businesses. This also enables the plant to draw power from the transmission grid to support commissioning and operational testing. The energization is the culmination of two and a half years of work involving more than 1,000 highly skilled ENEC and Transco experts.

The accomplishment of these milestones are major steps towards the upcoming project milestones. ENEC is focused on the safe and quality-driven delivery of four nuclear energy generating units, safely housed in containment buildings with a combined capacity of approximately 5,600 MW. Unit 1 is now more than 84 percent complete and Unit 2 is 64 percent complete. Overall, construction of Units 1 to 4 is now more than 58 percent complete. All four units will deliver safe, clean, reliable and efficient nuclear energy to the UAE grid, pending regulatory reviews and licensing.

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