RIYADH: UAE"s Nawah Energy Co. has successfully started Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, located in Abu Dhabi"s Al Dhafra Region, its parent company the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announced on Thursday. The launch has been achieved a year after the start-up of Unit 2, with the next key milestone being the connection of Unit 3 to the national electricity grid in the coming weeks, WAM reported. Unit 3’s startup reflects the progress being made in bringing the four units of the Barakah Plant — the first multi-unit operational nuclear plant in the Arab World — online and accelerating the decarbonisation of the UAE’s power sector on the way to Net Zero by 2050. ENEC CEO Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi said: “Thanks to the data-driven decisions of the UAE’s wise leadership, Barakah is now spearheading domestic energy security and sustainability in parallel, at the time of a global energy crisis, highlighting the unique capabilities of nuclear energy in solving energy security and sustainability in parallel.” He added: “The commissioning of the plant is just the beginning, with innovation and R&D (research and development) now key in ensuring the realization of the full scope of the programme.” Once commercially operational Unit 3 will add another 1,400 MW of zero-carbon emission electricity capacity to the national grid. This will be a major boost for UAE energy security, and a major step forward in tackling climate change. Barakah is generating clean energy that is sustainably powering homes, business and high-tech industries across the UAE, WAM said. Unit 3 will be connected to the national electricity grid in the coming weeks, and the operations team will continue with the process of gradually raising power levels, known as Power Ascension Testing. The process will be continuously monitored and tested until maximum electricity production is reached and all regulatory requirements and the highest international standards of safety, quality, and security will be applied.