Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) and its Korean joint venture partner Kepco have achieved a series of construction milestones on the units of the Barakah Plant with the successful installation of reactor containment building liner dome section and completion of concrete pouring for the dome on Unit 3.

The construction on the nuclear project began in 2012 and the overall completion of the four units is now more than 84 per cent complete, with Unit 1 now more than 96 per cent complete.

Once the four reactors are online, the facility will deliver up to a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs, and save up to 21 million tons of carbon emissions every year, said senior officials from Enec.

With four identical reactors being built simultaneously, the Barakah Plant, located in the Al Dhafra Region of Abu Dhabi, is the world’s largest nuclear new build project.

During the year, the project saw the installation of reactor containment liner plate rings, reactor vessel, steam generators and condenser on Unit 4, while the testing and commissioning activities are progressing steadily on Units 1 and 2, said the officials.

They were briefing Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, on the progress of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme during his visit to Barakah project site.

Sheikh Hamdan was hosted by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the chairman of the Enec's board of directors along with other senior officials including Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, Awaidha Murshed Al Mara, the chairman of the Department of Energy, Abu Dhabi and Enec board member and Staff Major General Pilot Faris Khalaf Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Chief of the General Authority for the Security of Ports, Borders and Free Zones.

Enec's chief executive Mohamed Al Hammadi, Nawah Energy Company's acting CEO Mohammed Sahoo AlSuwaidi and  Barakah One Company CEO Nasser Al Nasseri led the briefing.

During the tour of Barakah, Sheikh Hamdan met some of the Emirati engineers currently working at the plant and held discussions with them.