BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant has solidified its position as the UAE’s largest contributor to its Net Zero 2050 targets, generating around 40 terawatt-hours of clean electricity annually — enough to meet approximately 25% of the nation’s electricity demand, according to the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC).
Since the start of operations, Barakah has prevented over 58 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent of removing 12 million vehicles from roads, ENEC said in a statement to Aletihad.
As the Arab world’s first peaceful nuclear energy facility, Barakah’s four operational reactors provide round-the-clock, emissions-free baseload power that anchors the national grid and enables greater integration of renewables, particularly solar energy. ENEC explained that the reliability of nuclear generation supports the faster expansion of solar capacity, ensuring that the UAE’s clean-energy ambitions remain on track even as global electricity demand, including power consumption from data centres, continues to rise.
ENEC confirmed that Barakah now produces around 40 terawatt-hours of clean electricity annually, meeting roughly one quarter of the UAE’s total electricity demand.
This output has reduced the country’s dependence on natural gas — cutting Abu Dhabi’s power-sector gas use to its lowest level in 13 years — preserved valuable fuel reserves, and saved the UAE over $9 billion (Dh33 billion) in liquefied natural gas costs.
The plant’s clean energy output also underpins Abu Dhabi’s innovative Clean Energy Certificates (CEC) system, the first in the world to certify nuclear-generated electricity. Barakah backs around 85% of the emirate’s issued CECs, allowing industries such as ADNOC, Emirates Steel, and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to demonstrate their low-carbon credentials.
Strengthening Energy SecurityAccording to ENEC, Barakah strengthens the UAE’s grid stability, ensuring constant power for advanced technologies, heavy industries, and AI-driven data infrastructure that require uninterrupted electricity. Its consistent performance enhances both environmental sustainability and economic resilience, setting a global benchmark for nuclear’s role in modern energy systems.
Looking ahead, ENEC is focused on operational excellence across all four reactors while expanding international cooperation. With over 100 agreements signed in 16 countries, ENEC is leveraging its expertise to support global clean-energy projects, from new reactor builds to small modular reactor (SMR) development and supply-chain collaboration.
The statement pointed out that public confidence in nuclear energy has also grown steadily alongside Barakah’s progress. ENEC’s focus on safety and transparency has been backed by more than 500 inspections from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), and around 100 independent reviews conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO).
More than 90% of UAE residents now recognise Barakah’s importance to the nation, a testament to its safety and reliability, ENEC said.
The project’s timely execution is credited to strong government policy, long-term planning, and disciplined implementation. Barakah’s build time and costs were reduced by 40% between the first and fourth units, with each completed in an average of 7.9 years, marking a global record for nuclear construction.
Central to this achievement is human capital, as more than 60% of ENEC’s workforce are UAE nationals, including over 70 Emirati Senior Reactor Operators and Reactor Operators, ENEC added.