DUBAI: The UAE completed the construction of the Barakah nuclear power plant’s second unit, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) confirmed on Tuesday.
The new reactor, which was the second of four units, has been handed over to its operator, as reported by local newspaper The National.
“Today we are one step closer to securing a cleaner, brighter future for generations to come,” Mohamed Al Hammadi, chief executive of the ENEC, said.
The first reactor was completed and operated in March, but the plant has not yet started providing power to the electricity grid.
The Barakah plant, which is being built by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), will be the first nuclear energy plant in the Arab World.
When completed, the four reactors will have a total capacity of 5,600 megawatts – enough to meet 25 percent of the UAE’s energy needs.