United Arab Emirate's nuclear regulation authorities have approved the construction of the nation's first nuclear power plants, which will be built by a South Korean consortium.

The UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation announced Wednesday it granted license for the project in which Korean firms will design and build two nuclear power plants at Braka, a site some 300 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi. The plan was submitted by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation.

Once the construction is complete, the nuclear energy corporation will have to obtain a separate permit to actually run the plants.

A consortium led by the Korea Electric Power Corporation that includes Hyundai Engineering and Construction and Samsung C&T won the order in 2009 and has since been leveling the ground at the site and doing other prep work. A total of 18-point-six billion dollars is going into the construction of the plants.