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UAE Freezones Biz News Updates
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UAE’s ENEC says first unit of nuclear plant 75% complete
The second unit at the Barakah plant is also 53 per cent complete following
the installation of steam generators
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation has announced that its first unit at
the Barakah nuclear energy plant is now 75 per cent complete with the
project on track to begin operations in 2017.
The second unit is also 53 per cent complete, following the installation of
its two steam generators, a statement said.
The two huge stainless steel SG units, which are similar in length to a
tennis court, were manufactured in South Korea over a period of four years
by Doosan Heavy Industries – part of ENEC’s Korean Prime Contractor
consortium.
After manufacture, the generators were shipped to Barakah where they were
set in place inside the Unit 2 reactor containment building.
The steam generator acts as a heat exchanger where the water carrying the
heat generated from the nuclear reaction is used to turn demineralised water
into steam.
Steam produced in the generator is then used to spin a turbine which drives
a generator to produce electricity.
Each of Barakah’s steam generators contain numerous tubes that carry heated
processed 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, ENEC explained.
“This is an important milestone in the continued progress and delivery of
ENEC’s second unit, which is scheduled to come online approximately one year
after the first unit, which will be in 2017,” said ENEC’s chief executive
officer Mohamed Al Hammadi.
Over the next six months, further piping connection work will take place to
connect the generators to the Unit 2 reactor vessel, turbine generators and
condenser, the statement added.
ENEC announced last month that it has awarded construction contracts worth
$2.5bn to local firms over the last five years for the nuclear plant.
More than 1,100 local firms including Emirates Steel, National Cement, Dubai
Cable Company, National Marine Dredging Company, Western Bainoona Group, and
Hilalco have been contracted for the delivery of products and services.
The Barakah nuclear plant will eventually consist of four nuclear power
generating units, housed in two plants, with a combined capacity of
approximately 5,600 MW.
The overall construction of the four units is now 50 per cent complete, ENEC
said.
The first 1,400 MW unit is scheduled for completion in 2017 and additional
units will follow at twelve monthly intervals.
The fourth and final unit is set to begin commercial operations in 2020,
pending regulatory reviews and licensing.
Upon completion, the UAE’s nuclear programme will provide approximately 25
per cent of the country’s electricity needs, saving up to 12 million tonnes
of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
Sep 17, 2015 |
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Courtesy Motivate Publishing
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