The first unit of Abu Dhabi’s 5.6GW nuclear power project is scheduled to come online in 2017, MEED’s Abu Dhabi Energy, Industry & Infrastructure conference was told on 8 December.

Speaking at the event, Mohamed al-Hammadi, CEO, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) said that construction work on the first unit was 61 per cent completed and that the first reactor was on schedule to meet the commissioning deadline of 2017.

Enec is planning for one reactor to come online every year from 2017, with the fourth and final reactor scheduled for commissioning in 2020.

Al-Hammadi told the conference that the nuclear scheme would reduce 12 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2020.

The Enec CEO said that the $20bn nuclear project was benefitting the local economy and creating jobs for nationals. He said that over 1,000 local companies were involved in the nuclear programme, and 62 per cent of the 1,300 employees of the nuclear body were local nationals.

Enec awarded a South Korean consortium led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) a $20bn contract to build four reactors in 2009.

In August 2014, the UK’s Lloyd’s Register Energy has been awarded a contract to provide construction oversight and technical services by the UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).