Loading of the first nuclear fuel assemblies into Unit 1 at the Barakah nuclear station in the Persian Gulf is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2020, once the operating licence has been received from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, S&P Global Platts reported. Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) did not give any reason for the delay in the start-up of Barakah-1, the United Arab Emirates’ first commercial nuclear power plant. It was scheduled for 2017 following the start of construction in July 2012.In May 2018 Nawah Energy, the joint venture company formed by Enec and Korean Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) to operate the four-unit Barakah nuclear power station said the loading of nuclear fuel had been delayed “to the end of 2019 and early 2020”.