Abu Dhabi – Mubasher: The UAE has postponed the launch of its first nuclear reactor to late 2019 or early 2020 from its previous scheduled plans for a late 2017 launch, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The construction of the first of four reactors at the $20 billion (EUR 17 billion) Barakah plant will be completed ahead of "operation by the end of 2019 (or) early 2020," WAM cited the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) as saying.
The first reactor launch, which was due late last year, was moved to 2018 for regulatory approvals and safety checks. No reason was given as to the newly-announced delay.
As for news about the other three reactors, state-owned ENEC revealed that the second reactor was 93% complete, while the third and fourth reached 83% and 72% completion, respectively.
Located west of Abu Dhabi, the nuclear plant is currently being built by a consortium led by the Korea Electric Power Corporation. At full operational capacity, the four reactors should produce 5,600 megawatts of power, representing 25% of the UAE's energy needs, the country's energy ministry has said.
The UAE is looking to have nuclear and renewable energy contribute around 27% of its power needs by 2021. The GCC nation also said it wanted 50% of its energy to be generated by clean sources by 2050.
