UAE state nuclear firm Enec on 14 July handed over for commissioning Unit 2 of the four-reactor 5.6GW Barakah nuclear power plant, under construction on Abu Dhabi’s Gulf coast, to the Nawah joint venture of Enec and Korean construction contractor Kepco. Nawah was formed to operate the plant’s four 1.4GW reactors and will now bring Unit 2 to operational readiness so that it can receive an operating license from state regulator FANR. The license is required for Nawah to load fuel rods into the reactor in preparation for start-up and commercial operation.

Nawah received the operating license for the Barakah-1 reactor in February, after a three-year delay because of a scandal in Korea over faked nuclear safety certificates. Experience of starting up the first and second reactors to this design in Korea suggests Barakah-1 could potentially come online later this quarter (MEES, 21 February). (CONTINUED - 142 WORDS)