Earth and Us

From Space, the Construction of Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Comes into View

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) consists of four APR-1400 reactors with a total capacity of 5,600 MW, designed to supply about 25% of the nation’s electricity needs.
The plant is located in the Gharbiya region of Abu Dhabi.

Figure 1. KOMPSAT 3 (Pink) and KOMPSAT 3 A(Gray) images used for the study

Using images captured by KOMPSAT-3 and KOMPSAT-3A, we can trace how the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant was built between 2015 and 2020.
With resolutions of 70 cm (KOMPSAT-3) and 55 cm (KOMPSAT-3A), these satellites allow us to clearly observe the structures and construction progress, even from orbit.

Figure 2. Full-size image taken respectively in 2015(left, KOMPSAT-3) and 2020(right, KOMPSAT-3A)

In December 2009, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) awarded a $20 billion contract to a consortium led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to build the country’s first nuclear power plant.

Unit 1: Construction began in July 2012

Unit 2: Construction began in May 2013

Unit 3: Construction began in September 2014

Unit 4: Construction began in September 2015

Figure 3 . Time series images over the Barakah nuclear power plant (Top to bottom : KOMPSAT-3 , KOMPSAT-3 , KOMPSAT-3A images)

Construction Progress Seen from Space

February 2015: Units 1–3 under construction, Unit 4 at foundation stage

May 2018: Two units completed, the other two nearing completion

March 2020: All four units fully completed

Through these images, we can visually track how the plant gradually took shape over time—an excellent demonstration of how satellites support construction monitoring.

This case highlights how high-resolution satellite imagery is extremely valuable for monitoring large-scale construction projects.
Even when projects span wide areas and take years to complete, satellites make it possible to track progress and completion timelines at a glance.

By following the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant’s journey from orbit, we can vividly see how technology, time, and planning come together to achieve such a massive project.

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Source: ©URSA Space, ©KARI, ©SIIS