Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation granted the operating licence for the final reactor of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant

The operational licence for the fourth and final reactor of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which is situated in the Al Dhafra area of Abu Dhabi, was given by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR). The plant's operator, Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), received the Unit 4 operating licence from the FANR, the UAE's independent nuclear regulator. The licence, which has a 60-year expiration date, gives Nawah permission to install and run the unit.

The FANR granted the operational licences for Units 1, 2, and 3 in February 2020, March 2021, and June 2022, respectively. Throughout the duration of the four units' operations, FANR will continue to exercise regulatory monitoring.

Earlier this year, in February, the third unit formally began conducting business. Following receipt of Nawah's application for an operating licence in 2017, the FANR has been working towards this announcement. In addition to performing stringent regulatory monitoring and inspections in the areas of safety, security, and safeguards, the regulator has comprehensively evaluated the application materials.

In order to get ready for the commercial operation, Nawah will activate Unit 4 after receiving the operating licence.

After that, in addition to sending out additional inspectors, the FANR will undertake round-the-clock inspections to make sure the fuel load and power accession procedures are finished in compliance with regulatory standards. These inspections will be overseen by the resident inspectors who work at the plant.

The UAE has received 12 major peer review missions from the IAEA in the last ten years to examine and evaluate various aspects of nuclear infrastructure, the legal and regulatory framework, nuclear safety, nuclear security, emergency preparedness, and non-proliferation to ensure the implementation of the highest international standards of nuclear safety, security, and non-proliferation. The IAEA's mission reports are accessible to the public.