UAE secures Barakah fuel deal

Framatome and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) have signed an agreement for the supply of nuclear fuel assemblies and engineering services for the Barakah NPP in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The agreement is a key step in ENEC’s long-term strategy to diversify its fuel supply chain.

The assemblies will be fabricated at Framatome’s US manufacturing facility in Richland. Framatome will also provide engineering support services from its U.S. headquarters in Lynchburg, Virginia. Framatome has over 40 years extensive experience fabricating fuel for Combustion Engineering design reactors like Barakah and has supplied more than 6,000 fuel assemblies of that type.

“We are proud to provide our advanced fuel to ENEC, ensuring security of the supply and meeting the UAE’s clean energy goals,” said Framatome CEO Grégoire Ponchon. “The contract recognises our state-of-the-art technologies and the reliability of our workforce to provide exceptional services to our customers.”

ENEC Managing Director and CEO Mohamed Al Hammadi the agreement “advances our strategy to strengthen the security and reliability of our nuclear fuel supply chain”. He added: “Diversification is key to ensuring that we continue to deliver safe, clean, and reliable electricity – powering the sustainable growth of the UAE’s economy. Framatome’s expertise and commitment to international standards adds depth to our operations and reinforces Barakah as a global model for operational excellence in clean energy generation. We remain dedicated to advancing Barakah’s infrastructure and capabilities, continually striving for excellence in the nuclear power industry. ENEC continues to build on its existing operations through enhanced security, competitive costs, and innovative fuel solutions.”

Barakah is the first multi-unit operational NPP in the Arab world. Construction of the Barakah NPP began in 2011. Korea Electric Power Company (Kepco) led the consortium built the plant comprising four APR1400 reactors. Unit 1 began commercial operation in April 2021 and unit 2 in 2022 and unit 3 in 2023 and unit 4 in 2024. Together, the four units are expected to contribute up to 25% of the UAE’s National Determined Contributions to Net Zero and be the largest source of dispatchable clean electricity.