The long-awaited start-up of nuclear power generation in the UAE is tantalisingly close. Nawah Energy Company was awarded an operating licence for the first of four 1.4GW reactors at Abu Dhabi’s Barakah plant in February, and the firm immediately began loading fuel assemblies into the reactor (MEES, 21 February). CEO Ali al-Hammadi said this week that “in just a matter of weeks, the first watts of emissions-free nuclear-generated electricity will make their way into the UAE transmission grid, powering the nation’s clean energy future.” With the UAE also making considerable progress in solar power (MEES, 31 July and MEES, 31 July), the role of gas in the power mix is gradually being reduced.