Barakah Unit 1 reaches first criticality, becoming the Arab world's first operating nuclear plant

Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 achieved first nuclear criticality in Abu Dhabi, marking the first time a commercial nuclear reactor operated in the Arab world. The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation granted the operating license after a review process that included IAEA peer reviews and took more than a decade from project inception. Full power generation began in April 2021, with Unit 1 producing approximately 1,400 megawatts of electricity for the UAE national grid.