UAE Barakah Nuclear Plant Drone Attack: What You Need to Know About Safety and Security

A drone struck a generator at the Barakah nuclear power plant complex in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, igniting a fire, officials said. Authorities reported no injuries or radiation leaks.On the 17th (local time), the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office said emergency crews responded to a blaze at an external generator located outside the plant’s inner perimeter in the Al Dhafra region following the drone strike. The office added there have been no reports of casualties and that radiation safety levels remain unaffected.The UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) said the plant’s critical systems continue to operate normally. UAE authorities have not identified any suspects or attributed responsibility for the strike.Barakah is the Middle East’s first commercial nuclear power plant, built using Korea Electric Power Corporation’s (KEPCO) APR1400 reactor design. KEPCO won the contract in 2009, and all four units entered commercial operation in April 2024 with a combined capacity of 5,600 megawatts. Barakah now supplies roughly 25 percent of the UAE’s total electricity demand.