The  United Arab Emirates (UAE) has advanced its nuclear power programme by connecting the second unit of its Barakah nuclear power plant to the national power grid, state news agency WAM has said.

The plant is located in the country’s Al Dhafrah region of Abu Dhabi, one of the seven emirates which comprise the UAE.

Oil rich UAE is adding nuclear power to its energy mix as part of a drive to produce clean energy. .

The unit has produced its first megawatt of electricity free of carbon emissions, an official statement said.

Unit 1 of Barakah  was connected to the national power grid in August 2020. The Barkah complex, when completed, will have four reactors producing 5,600 MWs of energy, catering to 25 per cent of the UAE’s peak demand. The Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) is building these reactors.