Abu Dhabi state nuclear firm Enec says that Korean contractor Kepco has completed construction of the first of four 1.4GW nuclear reactors at Barakah on the Gulf coast 50km west of Ruwais. Kepco will now test and commission the reactor, before handing it over to a joint venture of Enec and Kepco formed to operate the plant.
Although the contract signed between Enec and Kepco in 2009 envisaged starting up one reactor each year over the period 2017-20, Enec now says the “timeline includes an extension” for the start up of the Barakah-1 plant “from 2017 to 2018.” Enec says the delay will “ensure sufficient time for international assessments and adherence to nuclear industry safety standards” and also enable “reinforcement of operational proficiency for plant personnel.” (CONTINUED - 972 WORDS)
