EMSTEEL and ENEC Deepen Partnership to Drive Low-Carbon Steel Through Nuclear Energy
EMSTEEL Group, one of the region’s largest integrated steel and building materials manufacturers, has announced a major step forward in industrial decarbonisation through an expanded collaboration with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC).
The agreement enables EMSTEEL to source clean, nuclear-generated electricity certified under Abu Dhabi’s Clean Energy Certificates Program (I-REC Standard), managed by the Emirates Water & Electricity Company (EWEC).
The move directly supports EMSTEEL’s efforts to reduce emissions in one of the world’s most carbon-intensive industries—steelmaking—while reinforcing the UAE’s ambitions for sustainable industrial growth.
Nuclear Energy at the Core of TrueGreen
The use of nuclear-backed Clean Energy Certificates strengthens TrueGreen, EMSTEEL’s sustainability strategy that brings together decades of decarbonisation initiatives under a unified framework. By integrating verified, low-carbon electricity into its operations, EMSTEEL is demonstrating how nuclear energy can enable cleaner manufacturing at scale.
This milestone builds on a decade-long partnership between EMSTEEL and ENEC. During the construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant—the first multi-unit nuclear facility in the MENA region—EMSTEEL supplied 160,000 tonnes of nuclear-grade rebar, meeting around 60 percent of the project’s total rebar requirements.
Cutting Emissions in a Hard-to-Abate Sector
Through the purchase of nuclear-generated Clean Energy Certificates, EMSTEEL gains access to low-carbon electricity that directly reduces its Scope 2 emissions, lowering the overall carbon footprint of steel produced in the UAE. The initiative positions EMSTEEL as the first steelmaker in the region to utilise nuclear-based Clean Energy Certificates—setting a new benchmark for transparency and accountability in heavy industry.
Currently, EMSTEEL has integrated 86 percent clean electricity across its steel operations and 14 percent across cement production, including more than 1.48 million megawatt-hours from nuclear energy and over 650,000 megawatt-hours from solar certificates. The Group aims to reach 100 percent clean electricity by 2030, in line with its long-term decarbonisation roadmap.
National Partnerships Accelerating Transformation
Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL, said clean energy, technology and verified data are essential to credible industrial decarbonisation. He noted that the partnership with ENEC strengthens EMSTEEL’s clean energy portfolio and demonstrates how national collaboration can accelerate low-carbon steel production while enhancing global competitiveness.
His Excellency Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Group CEO of ENEC, highlighted how pairing carbon-free baseload nuclear power with EMSTEEL’s continuous industrial demand shows the energy transition in action—delivering clean power at scale with traceable certification, while maintaining grid reliability.
Barakah: Enabling Growth Without Emissions
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, owned and developed by ENEC, produces around 40 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, supplying up to 25 percent of the UAE’s power demand and avoiding approximately 22.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year. With an operational lifespan of at least 60 years, Barakah plays a critical role in strengthening energy security, supporting industrial growth and building a resilient national grid.
Setting a Regional Benchmark
The EMSTEEL–ENEC agreement underscores how cross-sector partnerships are driving the UAE’s industrial transformation. By combining clean nuclear energy with advanced manufacturing, EMSTEEL is setting a regional benchmark for low-carbon steelmaking, proving that industrial competitiveness and climate action can advance together—firmly aligned with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategy.
