The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) said on Friday that it hopes to start building the country's first nuclear power plant in the fourth quarter if regulatory approval is given by the third quarter.

The oil-exporting UAE has plans to build four nuclear reactors by 2020 to meet growing domestic energy demand.

Mohamed Al Hammadi, chief executive of Enec, told Reuters on the sidelines of a nuclear industry event in Seoul that the company hoped to receive regulatory approval for the plant by the third quarter.

The UAE awarded the contract to build the reactors to a consortium of Korean companies led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) in December 2009. -Reuters