United Arab Emirates - World Nuclear Outlook Report
Current operations
The UAE has four operable reactors at Barakah. Unit 1 was connected to the grid in August 2020, unit 2 in September 2021, unit 3 in October 2022 and unit 4 in March 2024. They generate about 40 TWh a year, around a quarter of the UAE’s electricity.
Table Ua.1 Nuclear capacity status (as of 1 October 2026)
| Operable reactors | Operable reactors net capacity (MWe) | Operable reactors gross capacity (MWe) | Reactors under construction | Reactors under construction gross capacity (MWe) | Cumulative carbon dioxide emissions avoided 1970-2025 (cf. coal) (MtCO2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5348 | 5668 | - | - | 131 |
Nuclear policy and outlook
The UAE Energy Strategy 2050, updated in July 2023 in line with the country’s net-zero 2050 commitment, aims for nuclear to provide 6% of total energy supply by 2050.
In 2023 and 2024 there were reports of proposals to construct further units at Barakah, but there has been no official announcement.
In November 2024 ENEC and the government-owned energy group ADNOC agreed to evaluate advanced nuclear technology, such as SMRs, and the use of excess heat from Barakah in ADNOC’s oil and gas operations.
Table Ua.2 Contributions to total capacity projection in 2050 (gross)
| 60 year operation (MWe) | 80 year operation (MWe) | Currently under construction capacity (MWe) | Planned capacity (MWe) | Proposed capacity (MWe) | Potential capacity (MWe) | Government capacity target (MWe) | Additional capacity* required to meet government target (MWe) | Total capacity (MWe) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5668 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5668 |
| *Capacity additional to operable, under construction, planned, proposed and potential capacities required to meet the government target. | ||||||||
Readiness Assessment
The UAE completed its four-unit Barakah programme in 2024, and the plant now supplies about a quarter of its electricity. Nuclear policy is firmly established, but no post-Barakah reactor programme has been quantified or approved.
| Country Category | Newcomer |
|---|---|
| Policy Framework Readiness | Moderate-High Nuclear is firmly embedded in national clean-energy policy, but there is no quantified or approved post-Barakah reactor programme. |
| Institutional & Infrastructure Readiness | High Four-unit construction, commissioning and operating experience, mature regulation, strong international partnerships and an established workforce. |
| Programme & Project Development Readiness | Low-Moderate Project-delivery capability is strong, but there is no firm proposal for additional reactors. ENEC-ADNOC work is at evaluation stage. |
| Target Achievability | N/A The original Barakah programme has been fully delivered. No comparable quantified second-stage objective yet exists. |
