Drone strike sparks fire near Barakah Nuclear Plant in Abu Dhabi

Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded swiftly to a fire that broke out in an electrical generator located outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant following a drone strike incident in the Al Dhafra Region. Officials confirmed that emergency response teams contained the fire and that no injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) reassured the public that the fire had no impact on radiological safety levels or on the operational safety of the nuclear facility. FANR said all essential systems at the plant remain fully functional and that all units at the Barakah facility continue operating normally without disruption.

Authorities added that all precautionary and safety measures were immediately implemented to ensure the protection of the site and surrounding areas. Officials also urged the public to rely solely on verified information issued through official channels and avoid circulating rumours or unconfirmed reports regarding the incident. Further updates are expected as investigations continue into the drone strike and the circumstances surrounding it.

The UAE's nuclear regulator said the fire didn't impact the plant safety.

"All units are operating as normal," the organization wrote on X.

There was no claim of responsibility for the drone strike, and the UAE statement didn't blame any party for the attack.

Staff members working at the Barakah plant. File

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sunday's strike marked the first time the four-reactor Barakah Nuclear Power Plant has been targeted in the Iran war.

The reactor sits in the far western deserts of Abu Dhabi, near the border with Saudi Arabia.

The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant was built by the Emirates with the help of South Korea and went online in 2020. It's the first and only nuclear power plant on the Arabian Peninsula.

A view of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Abu Dhabi. WAM

Nuclear power plants increasingly have found themselves targeted in wars in recent years, first during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. During the Iran war, Tehran repeatedly claimed its Bushehr nuclear power plant came under attack, though there was no direct damage to its Russian-run reactor nor any radiological release.

There have been several instances of attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf countries over the past several weeks. Talks between Iran and the US are at a standstill as the shaky ceasefire threatens to collapse and tip the Middle East back into open warfare, prolonging the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict.

Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world's oil passed through before the war, and America is blocking Iranian ports.