A fire broke out following a drone strike near a nuclear power station in Abu Dhabi, according to Emirati authorities, who condemned what they described as a “serious escalation” without yet identifying the party responsible.

The authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported and that radiation levels were not affected.

The UAE Ministry of Defense stated that the drone that crashed near the station was one of three drones that had entered the country from the western border area. One of them struck an electricity generator located outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra region, causing the fire.

The ministry added that investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the attacks and that further details will be announced once the investigation is completed.

Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE. (Archive)

What do we know about the Barakah plant?

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant is located in the Al Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, overlooking the Arabian Gulf and situated around 53 kilometers southwest of Al Dhannah city.

The plant’s four advanced power reactors (APR1400) produce 40 terawatt hours of clean electricity annually, covering up to 25% of the United Arab Emirates’ electricity needs. Barakah has become the UAE’s largest single source of electricity, with every megawatt generated by the plant being free of carbon emissions.

The Barakah plant plays a key role in diversifying the country’s energy sources and supplies large amounts of electricity to homes, businesses, government facilities, and heavy industries while reducing the country’s carbon footprint. The plant cuts 22.4 million tons of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to removing 4.8 million cars from the roads.