The World's First Arab Nuclear Plant Became Operational

The oil-rich United Arab Emirates has activated the Baraka nuclear power plant, making it the first country to have an active nuclear power plant.

The announcement was made on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, and just days before the move, the UAE became the first country in the Arab world to send a mission to Mars.

Hamad al-Baqi, the UAE's representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a message on the social networking site Twitter that the UAE's first nuclear reactor at the Baraka nuclear power plant had been successfully commissioned.

This is a historic opportunity for the nation where our vision is to provide new clean energy to the nation,

he said, sharing a picture of technicians raising their hands as a symbol of victory.

The Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also announced in a tweet that the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world was operational, saying that the first of its four units had successfully filled nuclear fuel. has been given.

He said it was the first peaceful nuclear reactor in the Arab world and the UAE was the 33rd country in the world to install a nuclear power plant to generate safe, clean and reliable electricity.

The Baraka nuclear power plant is located in the Al-Zafra area of   Abu Dhabi and according to the UAE's official news agency WAM, the power plant has been set up to generate clean electricity in the country and has been in the UAE's electricity needs for nearly 60 years. Will meet

When the Baraka nuclear power plant becomes operational at full capacity, it will generate 5,600 megawatts of electricity, an environmentally friendly project that will save 21 million tons of carbon emissions each year, and an estimated The amount is equivalent to removing 3.2 million cars a year from the UAE's highways.

Mohammed Al-Hamadi, chief executive officer of the UAE Atomic Energy Corporation, said: "The Baraka Atomic Energy Power Plant has now become the engine of the country's development. No carbon dioxide will be emitted.

He said the project would help in economic diversification and the establishment and supply of local sustainable nuclear energy industry would create thousands of high-value jobs.

According to the state news agency, the system of the plant will be constantly monitored in the coming months, its quality will be checked in the next few months and it will be ensured that it complies with all regulatory requirements. Also meets high international standards of safety, quality and security.

The UAE began loading fuel rods into the first of four Baraka reactors in February after expert approval, paving the way for its commercial operation.

The power plant was originally scheduled to become operational in 2017, but the project was delayed several times due to various safety issues and required international regulations.

For energy, the UAE relies heavily on oil and gas reserves, but the country of 10 million people has resorted to large-scale alternative sources such as nuclear reactors and solar energy to keep the country clean in the face of rising pollution. Has started investing on a large scale.

It is the first nuclear reactor in the region and since then Saudi Arabia has said it is also working on building 16 nuclear reactors, but the plan does not appear to be working in the near future.

It has been built at a cost of 24.4 billion with the help of Korea Electric Power Corporation and when its four reactors are operating at full capacity, it will generate 5,600 megawatts of electricity, which is 25 percent of the country's needs, while the remaining three The reactors are also almost ready to be activated.

In the UAE, it will not only provide electricity at a lower cost, but the authorities are planning to make the country their hub by expanding tourism, banking and services.

OPEC, the world's fourth-largest crude oil producer, has recently discovered gas reserves and is investing billions of dollars in renewable energy sources to boost more than half of the country's energy by 2050. Requirements should be met from these sources.

It is worth mentioning that this reactor is 50 km from the Iranian border and closer to Doha, the capital of Qatar, than Abu Dhabi.

Qatar says the power plant is a threat to peace and the environment in the region, but the UAE says its power plant is for peaceful purposes.