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The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, ENEC, has announced the successful installation of its Unit 3 Steam Generators, SGs, marking another milestone in the development of the UAE’s first nuclear energy plant through the UAE peaceful nuclear energy programme.
Steam Generators play a key role in the conversion of energy generated by nuclear fission into electricity which will eventually power homes and businesses throughout the UAE. The heat generated from the nuclear reaction turns water into steam, which is then used to spin a turbine and generate electricity.
The two huge stainless steel SG units, similar in length to a tennis court, were manufactured in South Korea over four years by Doosan Heavy Industries, a member of ENEC’s Prime Contractor consortium. Following their manufacture, the generators were transported to Barakah where they were installed inside the Unit 3 Reactor Containment Building, RCB.
ENEC continues to implement the highest standards of safety, security and efficiency through its use of Pressurised Water Reactor technology, which keeps the water used in the reactor, and the water used in the turbine, segregated. Each of Barakah’s steam generators contain numerous tubes that safely carry heated water at high pressure. These tubes are made of an alloy composed of nickel, chromium and iron, making them strong and corrosion resistant, even at high temperatures.
Mohamed Al Hammadi, ENEC CEO, said, "The complex installation, the third installation of Steam Generators at Barakah, is another great achievement for all of the teams involved. This success is a result of ENEC’s extensive collaboration with our Prime Contractor, the Korean Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), and the robust culture of safety we have fostered at Barakah. We are committed to delivering safe, clean, and reliable nuclear energy to power the UAE’s future growth, and I am proud of the progress being made at Barakah as we continue to work to achieve our strategic goals. The UAE has shown the highest level of commitment to international standards and best practice since the very start of the UAE peaceful nuclear energy programme. We are dedicated to creating this new industry and sustaining it long into the future as a vital element of the UAE’s low-carbon economy."
Over the next six months, further piping connection work will take place to connect the SGs to the Unit 3 Reactor Vessel, Turbine Generators and Condenser in order to allow water and steam to pass in and out as required for the safe production of electricity.
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is scheduled for completion in 2020, with construction having started in 2012. With four reactors online, the facility will deliver up to a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs and save up to 12 million tons in carbon emissions every year.
The project at Barakah is progressing steadily. Overall, construction of Units 1 to 4 is now almost 68 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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