Arab World’s First Nuclear Reactor Cleared for Startup
- Barakah reactor passes last hurdle to loading fuel for startup
- Saudis also pushing into nuclear amid safety, cost questions
Barakah nuclear plant.
Photographer: Arun Girija/Emirates News Agency via AP
This article is for subscribers only.
The United Arab Emirates took a final step toward switching on the Arab world’s first commercial nuclear power plant, even as the country prospers by producing and selling fossil fuels.
The U.A.E.’s regulatory watchdog gave long-awaited approval on Monday to the operator of the Barakah reactor, nudging the U.A.E. to the brink of membership in an elite club of 30 countries that make power from smashing atoms.