The Emergency, Crises and Disaster Management Centre - Abu Dhabi (ADCMC) successfully organised a comprehensive field exercise at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, in collaboration with strategic partners, relevant local and federal entities. The initiative is a part of the framework of the 2025 Annual Joint Exercise Plan for Nuclear Incident Risks.
The exercise highlights the strategic importance of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant as a key driver of energy diversification, carbon footprint reduction and electricity production in the UAE. Therefore, ensuring the highest standards of readiness is essential to address any potential emergency related to its operations.
The exercise primarily assessed crisis management readiness based on the requirements of the external emergency plan for preparedness and response to radiological and nuclear emergencies. The exercise focused on aligning the operations of all participating entities, enhancing coordination, joint operations, and interoperability, thereby strengthening control, command, and decision-making mechanisms for managing emergency scenarios.
The exercise involved 22 local and federal entities, supported by seven field teams and 20 operation centres. A highly realistic and complex scenario was simulated to test the system's readiness to respond within both the internal and external areas of the plant.
His Excellency Major General Ahmed Saif bin Zaitoon Al Muhairi, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, Chairman of ADCMC Team - Exercise Commander, said that the strategic exercise highlights the nation’s long-standing commitment to enhancing its crisis response system by leveraging an integrated and proactive approach, which reflects international best practices and standards in the field of nuclear security and radiological safety.
His Excellency Al Muhairi said: “The exercise symbolises a qualitative leap in assessing and improving the efficiency of this comprehensive system, while ensuring readiness of both field and operational teams in dealing with complex scenarios. It reinforces our institutional readiness and capability to manage major risks efficiently without causing hindrance to business continuity or public safety.
“At ADCMC, we prioritise protection of life and property above all, positioning the continuity of vital facilities as a shared national responsibility. The concerted efforts we witnessed during this exercise reflect the ambitious vision of our wise leadership to nurture a cohesive and resilient national system capable of dealing with various potential challenges.”
His Excellency Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADCMC, remarked that the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant exercise represents an important strategic step, aligning with ADCMC's ongoing efforts to enhance crisis preparedness. His Excellency further noted that the exercise is a practical opportunity to assess the level of coordination among concerned entities and test the readiness of human resources and advanced technologies used in crisis management, thereby enhancing the field performance efficiency and operational excellence of vital facilities.
“Enhancing national crisis readiness necessitates an integrated institutional effort, led by cross-sector cooperation. This will help reinforce the society's confidence in our ability to protect lives and property, while preserving developmental gains.”
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is crucial to advancing the UAE’s sustainability vision as it provides clean and safe energy. The plant also adheres to the highest standards of safety, further consolidating the nation's stature as a leader in climate neutrality, committed to building a safe and sustainable future for generations to come.
The one-of-its-kind strategic initiative showcases ADCMC’s commitment to enhancing national crisis response readiness. It also highlights the UAE’s outstanding capabilities in the domain of business continuity management and emergency response, led by seamless coordination between federal and local government entities. Such exercises are vital to creating the advanced infrastructure and response system needed to sustain the UAE’s position as a leading hub for investment in the energy and sustainability fields.
