Drone strike starts fire outside UAE nuclear plant

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ABU DHABI: A drone strike triggered a fire near a nuclear power station in the emirate of Abu Dhabi on Sunday (May 17), authorities said, reporting no injuries or impact on radiation levels.

"Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded to a fire incident that broke out in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region, caused by a drone strike," the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.

"No injuries were reported, and there was no impact on radiological safety levels," it posted on social media. "All precautionary measures have been taken, and further updates will be provided as they become available.

"The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) confirmed that the fire did not affect the safety of the power plant or the readiness of its essential systems, and that all units are operating as normal."

The plant began operations in 2020 and is 200km west of the United Arab Emirates' capital Abu Dhabi, near the borders with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

It provides up to a quarter of the oil-rich country's electricity needs, the state-owned operator Emirates Nuclear Energy Company said in 2024.

The UAE was the second country in the region to build a nuclear power station, after Iran, and the first in the Arab world.

The statement did not say from where the drone was launched, but the UAE has recently accused Iran of being behind attacks on its energy and economic infrastructure.

Tehran launched retaliatory strikes across the region after the United States and Israel struck Iran on Feb 28, killing senior leaders and triggering a broader war.

Iran has accused the UAE and other US allies in the Gulf of allowing US forces to carry out attacks from their territory. The UAE has angrily denied Iranian reports that it has actively carried out attacks of its own.

Washington and Tehran agreed a truce on Apr 8, but peace negotiations have stalled and sporadic attacks have continued.

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