S. Korean consortium signs a disappointing UAE nuclear power plant maintenance deal

A South Korean consortium has won a maintenance deal for the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but will only be partially responsible for the maintenance works. Against initial expectations that the consortium would sign a 3 trillion won maintenance deal for UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the consortium only signed a five-year deal as one of multiple partners of the contract.

A South Korean consortium of Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and KEPCO KPS signed Sunday a five-year deal with Nawah Energy Company, the operator of UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy.

The South Korean consortium had been expected to sign a 10-15 year contract with Nawah and be fully responsible for the maintenance works of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which was built by a South Korean consortium using its own technologies.

But Nawah signed a five-year maintenance services agreement with the South Korean consortium, only half of the 10-year agreement South Korea secured back in 2016.


Lee Sae Saem iamsam@donga.com