Framatome and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) have announced the successful fabrication by Framatome of the first lead fuel assemblies in Richland, USA for the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, ENEC's flagship nuclear energy facility in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This achievement marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the fuel supply agreement announced by the two companies in July 2025, which aims to strengthen the UAE's national energy security through the diversification of nuclear fuel supplies.
The lead fuel assemblies were manufactured at Framatome's state-of-the-art facility in Richland, Washington State, leveraging decades of expertise and adhering to the highest standards of quality and safety, and will now be delivered for testing at the Barakah Plant.
The agreement between ENEC and Framatome is a key development in ENEC's long-term strategy to diversify its fuel supply chain, enhancing energy security by ensuring an uninterrupted source of carbon-free power from the Barakah Plant to businesses, industries and homes across the UAE.
Grégoire Ponchon, CEO of Framatome, said: “This milestone demonstrates the strength of our partnership with ENEC and our shared commitment to supporting the UAE's clean energy ambitions. The successful fabrication of the first lead fuel assemblies is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our teams, and it underscores Framatome's role as a trusted partner in the global nuclear industry. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with ENEC to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the Barakah Plant.”
His Excellency Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, said: “Our partnership with Framatome is an important component of our wider strategy to ensure a resilient fuel supply for Barakah. Framatome's expertise and manufacturing capabilities align perfectly with ENEC's commitment to the highest safety and performance standards - by strengthening Barakah's fuel supply chain, we are supporting continued operational excellence and always-on power generation at Barakah to power the nation's leading industries, businesses and of course our communities.''
A comprehensive testing program will take place prior to commercial use as part of ENEC's fuel qualification program. This program is designed to rigorously evaluate and verify the safety, compatibility, and performance of the new fuel design under actual operating conditions at the Barakah plant. Following completion and validation, ENEC will then move forward with the integration of these assemblies, supporting both operational reliability and regulatory compliance.
The delivery of these lead fuel assemblies is a key step of the signed agreement, which includes the supply of fuel assemblies. Framatome's Richland facility has been delivering the most advanced nuclear fuel and fuel-related products for 55 years to customers worldwide. The facility has received the U.S. regulator's highest Licensee Performance Review rating for 18 consecutive years, drawing on over 40 years' experience with Combustion Engineering reactor fuel, with over 6,000 assemblies of this type supplied. Framatome will also provide engineering support services from its U.S. headquarters in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The first multi-unit nuclear energy plant in the Arab world, Barakah consists of four Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) units generating a total of 40 TWh of electricity annually. Today, Barakah is the largest source of clean energy in the region, supplying around 25 percent of the UAE's electricity with no emissions. The plant prevents 22.4 million tons of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to removing 4.8 million cars from the roads.
