Work is progressing well on the Barakah nuclear power project in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with about 70 per cent of the construction completed at all the four units of the plant, said a report, citing the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec).

The major contract for the four 1,400-MW nuclear power plants was awarded by Enec to a consortium led by the Korean Electric Power Corporation (Kepco), the world’s third largest nuclear energy company.

As per the deal, the consortium will design, build and operate the plants in the UAE. The first unit is expected to start operation next year, while the other three are scheduled for completion by 2020.

Enec chief executive Mohamed Al Hammadi said it was proud of the progress made in the development of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, according to state news agency Wam.

"All four units are about 70 per cent complete, an amazing achievement, considering that we started construction a mere four years ago," Al Hammadi was quoted as saying in the report.

"Most recently, we installed Unit Three’s reactor vessel, completed the construction of the concrete dome for the Unit Two reactor containment building, and are progressing steadily through the testing and commissioning phase at Unit One, where the structural integrity and integrated leak tests were recently completed,'' he added.