The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) achieved a major milestone in the testing and commissioning phase of the  Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant with the completion of the Structural Integrity Test (SIT) and Integrated Leak Rate Test (ILRT) for Unit One at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Abu Dhabi.

It was performed over a period of several weeks, on Unit One at Barakah, with the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) providing full oversight, and conforming to the highest international standards of safety and quality, said the statement from Enec.  

Both of these tests demonstrate the integrity and robustness of the structure in terms of force and leak tightness, and the structure’s ability to perform safely under normal and extraordinary circumstances.

The SIT evaluates the strength of the Reactor Containment Building (RCB), the structure at the heart of the plant, which houses the reactor and major components, by pressurising and depressurising the building to simulate regular and extraordinary conditions, while the ILRT assesses the leak-tightness of the containment building under a variety of conditions.

On the achievement, CEO Mohamed Al Hammadi, said: "We are proud to have maintained our track record of safety and quality with the completion of the Structural Integrity Test and Integrated Leak Rate Test. The commissioning phase of a nuclear energy plant is a critical step towards the first fuel load."

"Before loading the fuel, it is essential that the plant is tested under the highest standards of safety, security and quality," stated Al Hammadi.

“With the completion of these tests on Unit One, we are moving closer to achieving our goal of supplying up to a quarter of our nation’s electricity needs with low-carbon, sustainable nuclear energy. Our work at Barakah continues to support the UAE’s energy mix strategy as well as the future social and economic growth of the UAE,” he added.

Enec’s teams worked closely with Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) and FANR, throughout the complex testing process. The testing is part of the commissioning phase, and has been progressing with the highest standards of safety and quality assurance.

Other recent commissioning milestones completed safely and successfully on Unit One include Reactor Systems Flushing, Turbine Lube Oil Flushing, and Cold Hydrostatic Testing (CHT), which verified that the reactor coolant system and other associated systems met FANR’s regulations.

According to Al Hammadi, the project at Barakah is progressing steadily with Unit One now 88 per cent complete, the second - 72 per cent complete, third at 50 per cent and Unit Four at 31 per cent completion.

Overall, the construction of Units One to Four is now more than 65 per cent complete. Once ready, all four units will deliver safe, clean, reliable and efficient nuclear energy to the UAE grid, pending regulatory reviews and licensing.-TradeArabia News Service