The United Arab Emirates(UAE), which is operating a nuclear power plant built with South Korean technology, said it is looking into construction of a second plant facility to meet a growing demand for electricity.

Speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, UAE's Ambassador to Austria Hamad Alkaabi, also the permanent representative of the UAE to the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA), said although no final decision has been made regarding a tender process, his government is actively exploring the option.

Alkaabi said any new power plant would likely consist of two or four reactors, and that the tender could be issued this year.

The UAE's first nuclear plant, comprising four reactors with a combined capacity of five-thousand-600 megawatts, was built by South Korea in the region of Barakah, 270 kilometers west from the capital Abu Dhabi. The plant began commercial operation in phases from 2021.

The UAE envoy said, however, that South Korea would not be treated as a favored bidder for any future tender, adding that it is a policy decision to give opportunity for all potential bidders.