Australian Inquiry Told How the UAE Built a Nuclear Power Plant From Scratch

Former FANR director of nuclear safety stressed the importance of having a builder with the right expertise and a mature supply chain.

A general view of the Mochovce nuclear power plant in Mochovce, Slovakia, on Nov. 6, 2023. Janos Kummer/Getty Images

An expert has told an Australian inquiry how the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was able to build a nuclear power plant from scratch in just 12 years.

In 2009, the UAE launched an ambitious program to build the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant. At the time, the country had no nuclear expertise.