ABU DHABI: A drone strike caused a fire near the Barakah nuclear power plant on Sunday, but there were no injuries and no impact on radiation levels, authorities said.
The fire broke out in an electrical generator located outside the inner perimeter of the plant in the Al Dhafra Region, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. Emergency crews responded to the incident, and all precautionary measures have been taken, officials said.
“No injuries were reported, and there was no impact on radiological safety levels,” the media office said in a statement posted on social media.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed that the fire did not affect the plant’s safety or the readiness of its essential systems, adding that all units are operating as normal.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, condemned the attack. On X, the agency said Grossi “expresses grave concern about the incident and says military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable.”
Barakah, located about 200 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi near the borders with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, began operations in 2020.
It provides up to a quarter of the oil-rich country’s electricity needs, according to the state-owned Emirates Nuclear Energy Company. The UAE is the second country in the region to build a nuclear power station, after Iran, and the first in the Arab world.
Authorities did not say from where the drone was launched. The UAE has recently accused Iran of being behind attacks on its energy and economic infrastructure.
