Barakah third reactor enters full operation
24 February 2023
The third reactor of the Abu Dhabi Barakah nuclear power plant has reached commercial operation, according to the UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (Fanr).
The regulator issued a 60-year operating licence to the plant’s unit 3 in June last year.
During the intervening period, Fanr has continued conducting regulatory oversight, which included fuel loading and testing; the criticality phase; connecting the unit to the UAE national electricity transmission grid; and ensuring that the plant is ready for full commercial operation.
The second unit at Abu Dhabi’s Barakah nuclear energy plant started commercial operations and was linked to the UAE grid in March last year.
Each of the four nuclear reactors at the plant has the capacity to generate 1,400MW of electricity.
The amount of clean electricity generated has doubled in less than a year since unit one was added to the power grid, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) chairman Khaldoon Khalifa al-Mubarak said at the time.
“With two more units to follow, and against the backdrop of spiralling global natural gas prices, the significance of the nuclear sector in clean, commercially competitive energy generation only grows,” Al-Mubarak noted.
Construction work on unit two was completed in July 2020. Unit two completed hot functional testing in August 2018 and structural integrity testing and integrated leak rate testing in March 2019.
Nuclear pivot
In January, it was reported that Abu Dhabi plans to invest up to $30bn in South Korea’s nuclear power, defence, hydrogen and solar energy industries.
This was followed by the signing of a nuclear cooperation deal between the two countries’ main nuclear companies, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec).
Other areas of cooperation include future technology development and joint research, such as small modular and micro-reactors.
Korea’s Nuclear Safety & Security Commission (NSSC) also signed an administrative agreement with Fanr that will lead to a simplified nuclear export permit procedure between the two countries.
This development confirmed some analysts’ expectation that the $100bn US-UAE Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (Pace) announced in November will primarily support the UAE’s nuclear energy pivot.
Korea Power Corporation (Kepco) is the prime contractor for the Barakah nuclear power plant.
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WEBINAR: Mena Oil & Gas Projects Market 2025-26
10 July 2025
Date & Time: Tuesday 29 July 2025 | 11:00 AM GST
Agenda:
1. Summary of the Mena oil, gas and petrochemicals projects market
2. Summary description of the main megaprojects, including project programmes
3. Analysis of active contracts and spending to date
4. Analysis of top contracts by work already awarded
5. Long-term capital expenditure outlays and forecasts
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New Murabba signs up South Korean firm for design works
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Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Company (NMDC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s Heerim Architects & Planners to explore further design works on assets at the 14 square-kilometre New Murabba downtown project.
According to an official statement: “Heerim Architects & Planners will explore distinctive architectural plans that complement the development’s masterplan, with special focus on anchor assets, linear parks and smart city features.”
New Murabba CEO Michael Dyke signed the agreement last week during the company’s Investment and Partnership Forum in Seoul.
At the event, NMDC also signed an MoU with South Korea’s Naver Cloud Corporation to explore technological solutions for delivering the New Murabba downtown project.
According to an official statement: “The three-year agreement covers exploring innovative technology and automation to support the delivery of New Murabba, including robotics, autonomous vehicles, a smart city platform and digital solutions for monitoring construction progress.”
NMDC is in Seoul to examine technological offerings, assess financing options and showcase the investment opportunities available for the New Murabba downtown development.
The statement added that the excavation works for The Mukaab, the centrepiece of the overall development, have now been completed.
The Mukaab is a Najdi-inspired landmark that will be one of the largest buildings in the world. It will be 400 metres high, 400 metres wide and 400 metres long. Internally, it will have a tower on top of a spiral base and a structure featuring 2 million square metres (sq m) of floor space designated for hospitality. It will feature commercial spaces, cultural and tourist attractions, residential and hotel units, and recreational facilities.
Downtown destination
The New Murabba destination will have a total floor area of more than 25 million sq m and feature more than 104,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms and over 980,000 sq m of retail space.
The scheme will include 1.4 million sq m of office space, 620,000 sq m of leisure facilities and 1.8 million sq m of space dedicated to community facilities.
The project will be developed around the concept of sustainability and will include green spaces and walking and cycling paths to promote active lifestyles and community activities.
The living, working and entertainment facilities will be developed within a 15-minute walking radius. The area will use an internal transport system and will be about a 20-minute drive from the airport.
The downtown area will feature a museum, a technology and design university, an immersive, multipurpose theatre, and more than 80 entertainment and cultural venues.
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Chinese firm wins Mid Island Parkway tunnelling deal
10 July 2025
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Beijing-headquartered China Railway Tunnel Engineering Group has won a $60m subcontract for the tunnelling works on package 1B of the Mid Island Parkway project in Abu Dhabi.
Package 1B entails the construction of a cut-and-cover tunnel to cross the Khor Laffan Channel, which is the area between the Saadiyat and Um-Yifeenah islands.
The tunnel, which will be between 900 metres and 1 kilometre (km) long, is being constructed on a design-and-build basis and will tie in to packages 1A and 1C.
The project is being jointly constructed by a joint venture of local firm Yas Projects (Alpha Dhabi Holding) and Beijing-based China Railway International Group.
In June last year, MEED exclusively reported that Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipality & Transport had awarded contracts for three packages for phase one of the Mid Island Parkway Project (MIPP), as part of the Plan Capital urban evolution programme.
Phase one will start at the existing Saadiyat Interchange, which will connect the E12 road to the MIPP, and will end with the recently constructed Um-Yifeenah Highway.
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Firms submit PPP bids for worker accommodation
9 July 2025
Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) has received bids from companies for a contract to develop accommodation for over 4,500 workers at its new gold mine and processing facility in the Al-Rjum region of Saudi Arabia.
MEED understands that the bids for the package were submitted in late June.
Maaden is developing the project on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis under a build, own, operate and transfer model. The concession period is 15 years.
The bidders include:
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Maaden is at the forefront of Riyadh’s strategy to expand the kingdom’s metals and mining sector. By 2040, the company, which is majority-owned by sovereign wealth vehicle the Public Investment Fund, aims to build its upstream mining capabilities, gain exposure to future minerals and form partnerships with global mining companies.
The company’s efforts align with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al-Saud’s strategy to establish mining as a third economic pillar, alongside oil and petrochemicals.
In January, Maaden revealed plans to form a joint venture with state-controlled oil company Saudi Aramco, focusing on the exploration and mining of metals that are crucial to the energy transition.
At the Future Minerals Forum 2025, Maaden shared updates on its exploration activities, highlighting gold and copper intercepts at the Wadi Al-Jaww and Jabal Shayban exploration areas in the Arabian Shield. These findings suggest the emergence of a new gold and copper district.
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Parsons to project manage Dubai Metro Blue Line
9 July 2025
US-based engineering firm Parsons Corporation has announced that it has been selected by Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) as the project management consultant for the Dubai Metro Blue Line extension project.
In an official statement, Parsons said that its scope encompasses comprehensive project management services, including design review, procurement support, construction supervision, testing and commissioning oversight, and project handover management.
The Blue Line will connect the existing Red and Green lines. It will be 30 kilometres (km) long, with 15.5km underground and 14.5km above ground.
The line will have 14 stations, seven of which will be elevated. There will be five underground stations, including one interchange station, and two elevated transfer stations connected to the existing Centrepoint and Creek stations.
In December last year, the RTA awarded a AED20.5bn ($5.5bn) main contract for the construction of the project.
The main contractor’s consortium is responsible for all civil works, electromechanical works, rolling stock and rail systems. After completing the project, the contractor will assist with maintenance and operations for an initial three-year period.
According to an official statement, the Blue Line will have a capacity of 46,000 passengers an hour in both directions.
The project is scheduled for completion in September 2029.
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