Gulf Construction Online - Key test completed for Unit 4 of nuclear plant

UAE Focus

Preparations are now in the final stages for the safe start-up of Unit 1 in the coming months.

Key test completed for Unit 4 of nuclear plant

01 June 2020

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has successfully completed cold hydrostatic testing (CHT) at Unit 4 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the Arab world’s first nuclear energy plant, being built in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.

The testing incorporated the lessons learned from the previous three units and is a crucial step towards the completion of Unit 4, the final unit of the Barakah plant.

As a part of CHT, the pressure inside Unit 4’s systems was increased to 25 per cent above what will be the normal operating pressure, demonstrating the quality and robust nature of the unit’s construction, ENEC said.

Prior to the commencement of CHT, Unit 4’s nuclear steam supply systems were flushed with demineralised water, and the reactor pressure vessel head and reactor coolant pump seals were installed. During the cold hydrostatic testing, the welds, joints, pipes and components of the reactor coolant system and associated high-pressure systems were verified.

By the end of 2019, ENEC and Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) had successfully completed all key construction work including major concrete pouring, installation of the turbine generator, and the internal components of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) of Unit 4, which paved the way for the commencement of testing and commissioning.

The testing at Unit 4 represents a significant achievement in the development of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program, following the successful completion of fuel assembly loading into Unit 1 in March 2020, confirming that the UAE has officially become a peaceful nuclear energy operating nation. Preparations are now in the final stages for the safe start-up of Unit 1 in the coming months, it said.

“Unit 1 will reach criticality very soon, and the Covid-19 pandemic has not derailed our plans. We have 700 employees working on the project to meet the timeline,” said Enec CEO Mohamed Al Hammadi.

Tests are still on at units 2, 3 and 4 following the completion of all construction work, he said.

“Producing 5.6 gigawatts of electricity while preventing the release of more than 21 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually (the equivalent of removing 3.2 million cars off the roads annually), the Barakah Plant will power the UAE with clean, safe and reliable baseload electricity,” he stated.

Al Hammadi pointed out that the Barakah Plant and nuclear energy globally was also directly contributing to the decarbonisation of the electricity sector and the growth of electrification.

ENEC is currently in the final stages of construction of units 2, 3 and 4 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. The overall construction of the four units is more than 94 per cent complete. Unit 4 is more than 84 per cent, Unit 3 is more than 92 per cent and Unit 2 is more than 95 per cent. The four units at Barakah will generate up to 25 per cent of the UAE’s electricity demand by producing 5,600 MW of clean baseload electricity.