Framatome to supply nuclear fuel to UAE's Barakah plant

Thursday, 17 July 2025

Under the agreement, Framatome will supply complete nuclear fuel assemblies for use at the Barakah plant. The fuel assemblies will be fabricated at Framatome's manufacturing facility in Richland, Washington, USA. Framatome will also provide engineering support services from its US headquarters in Lynchburg, Virginia.

"We are proud to provide our advanced fuel to ENEC, ensuring security of the supply and meeting the UAE's clean energy goals," said Framatome CEO Grégoire Ponchon. "The contract recognises our state-of-the-art technologies and the reliability of our workforce to provide exceptional services to our customers."

Framatome noted it has "over 40 years extensive experience fabricating fuel for Combustion Engineering design reactors like Barakah and has supplied more than 6,000 fuel assemblies of that type".

ENEC Managing Director and CEO Mohamed Al Hammadi added: "Our agreement with Framatome advances our strategy to strengthen the security and reliability of our nuclear fuel supply chain. Diversification is key to ensuring that we continue to deliver safe, clean, and reliable electricity - powering the sustainable growth of the UAE's economy. Framatome's expertise and commitment to international standards adds depth to our operations and reinforces Barakah as a global model for operational excellence in clean energy generation.

"We remain dedicated to advancing Barakah's infrastructure and capabilities, continually striving for excellence in the nuclear power industry. ENEC continues to build on its existing operations through enhanced security, competitive costs, and innovative fuel solutions."

Under a USD20 billion deal announced in December 2009, four Korean-designed APR1400 reactors have been built at the Barakah site by a consortium led by Korea Electric Power Cooperation (KEPCO). First concrete for Barakah 1 was poured in July 2012, while that for units 2-4 was poured in April 2013, September 2014 and July 2015, respectively. The units entered commercial operation between April 2021 and September 2024. The plant provides about 25% of the UAE's electricity needs.

Fuel assemblies are currently manufactured in South Korea by Kepco Nuclear Fuel - part of the prime contractor consortium led by KEPCO - and then shipped to the UAE.

"Today, ENEC continues to explore strategic opportunities that support the growth of the global civil nuclear sector, while ensuring the plant remains a cornerstone of the UAE's energy mix," the company said.

In January 2024, ENEC announced it had launched a tender for a domestic nuclear fuel assembly fabrication facility to produce fuel assemblies for the Barakah plant. It said the facility would be dedicated to the industrial fabrication of fuel assemblies from their various components.