known drone strike on an Arab commercial nuclear reactor
OPERATIONAL SINCE
2021
Barakah Unit 1 commercial operations began Apr 6, 2021
STRIKE LOCATION
Outside
hit electrical generator beyond inner security perimeter
CASUALTIES
0
no injuries reported in the attack
IAEA ENFORCEMENT
None
IAEA safeguards have no mechanism against military attack
2012-07-19
Construction begins
UAE breaks ground on Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, built by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).
2017-03-25
Unit 1 fuel loading
First nuclear fuel loaded into Barakah Unit 1, marking the facility's transition to a live nuclear site.
2020-08-01
Unit 1 achieves first criticality
Unit 1 reactor achieves first controlled nuclear chain reaction, a key safety and operational milestone.
2021-04-06
Unit 1 commercial operations begin
Barakah Unit 1 enters commercial operation — the Arab world's first operational commercial nuclear reactor.
2022-03-24
Unit 2 commercial operations begin
Unit 2 joins the grid, doubling Barakah's generating capacity.
2023-02-17
Unit 3 commercial operations begin
Unit 3 enters service. Three of four planned reactors now online.
2024-03-04
Unit 4 commercial operations begin
Final reactor unit comes online, completing Barakah's full 5.6 GW nameplate capacity.
2026-05-01
UAE joins U.S. side in Strait of Hormuz conflict
Abu Dhabi aligns with U.S. forces in the Strait of Hormuz conflict, elevating the UAE as a high-value symbolic and strategic target for Iranian retaliation.
2026-05-17
Drone strike on Barakah
Drone strikes an electrical generator outside the inner security perimeter. Fire ignites; no injuries reported. No group officially credited.