Siren tests to be heard at Barakah Nuclear Plant on Wednesday

The planned tests are part of wider checks ahead of the start of operations

The cold hydrostatic test for Unit 4 at UAE's first nuclear power plant has been completed. Courtesy: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation 
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Sirens will sound at Barakah Nuclear Plant on Wednesday as part of testing, in the run up to the opening of the facility.

Abu Dhabi Government Media Office said the planned tests would run from 11.30am for 10 minutes.

It warned residents of Al Dhafra that a "loud noise" would run for 30 seconds at a time during the testing period.

"A siren test will be conducted around Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Al Dhafra region. This may lead to some relatively strong noise, which may be heard by those in the vicinity," the notice from the media office said.

The test will check the performance of 13 sirens in the area and is part of preparations for the plant's start-up operations.

On Tuesday, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation said the UAE was ready to start operating the nuclear power plant's first reactor.

Nawah Energy Company, the operator and subsidiary of Enec, said tests by an independent body concluded that unit 1 of Barakah, in the Abu Dhabi desert, is ready to generate energy.

The plant is scheduled to begin operation in the first quarter of this year and will add 5.6 gigawatts of capacity to the country's energy grid when all four reactors are fully operational.