UAE’s nuclear regulator FANR on 17 February awarded Nawah Energy Company an operating license for the first of four 1.4GW reactors at Abu Dhabi’s Barakah nuclear power plant.

Nawah, the joint venture of state nuclear developer Enec and Korean contractor Kepco formed to operate the plant, began loading fuel assemblies into the reactor on 19 February in readiness for commissioning. Nawah has not given a date for commercial operations at Barakah-1, but Kepco’s start-up timelines at two Korean plants using the same reactor as Barakah suggest 3Q20 is achievable. (CONTINUED - 713 WORDS)