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Wylfa in Anglesey, North Wales has been selected by the UK government as the preferred location for its third large-scale nuclear power station.
The proposed facility is expected to be able to generate enough energy to power six million homes for 60 years, contributing to the UK’s clean energy goals.
The decision is said to have come after the government acquired the site from Hitachi for US $202mn in early 2024.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary of State Claire Coutinho stated, “We are powering ahead with the biggest expansion of nuclear energy in seventy years. Anglesey has a proud nuclear history, and it is only right that, once again, it can play a central role in boosting the UK’s energy security.”
Wylfa’s location on the North Wales coast is considered ideal due to its access to cooling water and a history of nuclear activity.
The government said that it aims to meet a quarter of the nation’s electricity demand through domestic nuclear power by 2050, and is now said to be in talks with international energy companies regarding the construction of the new plant.
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Symbolic Developments, a venture by UAE-based Speedex Group, has announced the launch of its newest project in Al Furjan, Symbolic Aura, and said it is investing US $40.2mn in the residential complex.
Featuring 72 premium lifestyle ‘Sky Garden’ residences, Symbolic Aura is being positioned as a beacon of sustainable development, aligning with the UAE’s vision for a greener future. Featuring a range of 2.5- and three-bedroom apartments, Symbolic Aura will offer fully furnished interiors.
Vice Chairman Murtaza Moiz commented, “We pride ourselves on providing elevated living experiences with a strong emphasis on sustainability and smart homes. Following the overwhelming success of our first project, Symbolic Alpha in Liwan, which sold out within three months of its launch, we are thrilled to introduce Symbolic Aura in Al Furjan in less than six months.
“Responding to demand from previous project inquiries, we have incorporated larger 2.5 and three-bedroom typologies in Symbolic Aura, offering some of the largest apartment sizes available in the area. With floor-to-ceiling heights of 12ft and only six apartments per floor, the residential community provides unparalleled living experiences.”
The themed Sky Garden Residences also brings nature to residents’ doorsteps, with greenery on every balcony. The design of the project also maximises natural light and ventilation, fostering an environment of openness and tranquility, said the developer.
Construction for Symbolic Aura is set to begin next month, with possession scheduled for March 2026. The development is situated just 15-20 minutes from major business districts such as Downtown, DIFC, and DMCC.
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A US $255mn loan has been approved by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the construction of the southern section of Armenia’s Sisian-Kajaran road. The funding will enable the Government of Armenia to construct 24km of a new southern road section between Sisian and Kajaran, forming part of the North-South Road Corridor.
The project is said to be the largest road infrastructure project ever financed by the EBRD in Armenia.
The loan agreement was signed by Armenia’s Minister of Finance, Vahe Hovhannisyan, and EBRD Managing Director of Sustainable Infrastructure Group, Nandita Parshad, during the EBRD Annual Meeting and Business Forum in Yerevan.
The project received technical cooperation funding from the European Union (EU) to conduct the feasibility study and environmental and social impact assessment.
Nandita Parshad, EBRD Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Group stated, “We appreciate Armenia’s aspiration to develop a transport and logistics infrastructure that will enhance its regional connectivity and integration with external markets. We support this project because it meets our strategic objectives in Armenia and the region. We are also grateful to our partner, the European Union, which provided technical cooperation support to ease the implementation of this important initiative.”
Once complete, the road will improve Armenia’s local, regional, and international connectivity, providing better access to international markets via the Black Sea.
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Larsen & Toubro has won the contract construct a 605-bedroom hospital and medical college in Rajarhat, Kolkata, India. According to the firm, the facility will be built across an area of 1.2m sqft.
In addition to the college, which will have an annual intake capacity of 150 students, the firm will also build a hostel for students, interns, nurses and residents, the company confirmed.
The contractor’s health business unit is said to have secured the deal from the Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata, on a design and build basis.
The project will be executed in two phases over a period of 60 months. The scope of work involves civil structure, finishes, MEP, paramedical and external development works including landscaping, it added.
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AESG has announced that it has appointed Daniel King to lead its cost management division. The move is in response to significant growth of the firm’s cost management service.
In his role, King will spearhead the delivery of best-in-class cost management services for large, complex construction projects in a manner that optimises cost efficiency and minimises commercial risk for clients, the firm notes.
King, who has over two decades of cost consultancy experience, spanning multi-million-dollar projects in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and the United Kingdom, will report directly to AESG’s Partner and Global Head of Cost Management, Gary Tracey.
On the appointment, Tracey noted, “Daniel has been hired due to both his reputation and enormous value add he can bring to ensure cost certainty to meet our clients’ budgets. Far from being an inevitability, budget overruns can be avoided through skilful planning and sound strategy. This requires striking a precise balance between a myriad of factors including material costs, labour expenses, project timelines, and quality standards – which is what we at AESG have consistently achieved for our clients. Our cost management service works to assure our clients that their visions can be made a reality, unimpeded by the pitfalls that plague projects that skip this crucial consideration. With Daniel’s experience we can further enhance this service for our clients.”
Before joining AESG, King served as Director of Cost Management at Currie & Brown, leading a team of over 70+ cost consultants, and working on iconic projects. Prior to this, he was the Senior Commercial Manager for the UAE at EllisDon, and led commercial and cost management for multiple large-scale projects on Saadiyat Island.
Since its establishment, AESG’s Cost Management division has built up an impressive portfolio of successful projects. As part of its efforts to extend the benefits of its services to an increasing number of clients, this division last year invested to grow its team threefold, and today has its experts based out of its physical offices in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, South Africa and London, the statement said.
Tracey remarked, “We are confident that our excellence in cost management will be of immense value to the complex, large scale projects being executed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Daniel brings expertise in leading large teams to deliver impressive value for precisely such undertakings. He is the right person to help our clients achieve their ambitious goals.”
King concluded, “Through our multidisciplinary service offering, clients can get access to strategic, well-rounded, and integrated solutions across disciplines. The company’s cost management division is on an impressive upward trajectory. I am excited to help drive its ongoing success and be a part of the landmark projects that the company is working on.”
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Construction works on what is said to be China’s longest single-bore, double-track railway tunnel is complete according to China Railway No.2 Group. The firm notes that the 23km-long Desheng tunnel took 10 years to build and sits at 3,000m above sea level.
The tunnel is part of the Chengdu-Huangshengguan section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway. Passenger trains on the section are expected to travel at speeds of up to 200km/h and freight trains at up to 120km/h.
Designed with the assistance of China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group, the tunnel’s maximum buried depth is 750m. It is close to an active fault zone and passes through 17 parasitic folds and one fault, with the construction team dealing with earthquakes, landslides and debris flows during construction, the firm noted.
The Chengdu-Huangshengguan section of the railway is 276km long, while the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway is 836km long, and is one of eight high-speed lines connecting the north of the country to the south.
The Desheng tunnel is due to enter service later this year, the firm noted.
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Sidem has been awarded a US $320mn contract to provide engineering services and supply key technologies for the Hassyan seawater desalination plant in Dubai. The Hassyan facility will be the second largest desalination plant based on reverse osmosis (RO) technology in the world, and the largest desalination plant powered by solar energy.
Located 55km southwest of the Dubai Creek, the plant will have a capacity of 180 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) – providing a safe and reliable source of drinking water to two million people. The project was commissioned by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Saudi-based utility provider Acwa Power, said a statement.
According to Veolia – the parent company of Sidem – the project underlines its commitment to its GreenUp strategic plan, to provide sustainable, low-carbon and energy-efficient solutions, while guaranteeing the preservation of water resources in a context of adaptation to climate change.
“All over the world, people are looking for solutions to climate change. The watchword is adaptation: at Veolia, we have solutions to act as a catalyst for ecological transformation, which is the thrust of our GreenUp strategic plan. This latest achievement confirms our leading position in water technologies. Our commitment to high operational and environmental standards has been the driving force behind our leadership in desalination for over 50 years,” said Veolia CEO Estelle Brachlianoff.
According to her, the DEWA project is part of a broader strategy to sustainably increase water desalination capacity to help support Dubai’s increasing demand for water in domestic and commercial settings. The plant will start operating in 2026, with a gradual ramp-up to full capacity in 2027.
This project is expected to feature exceptional energy efficiency performance with a low energy consumption rate of 2.9kWh/m3.
Sidem’s extensive expertise in large-scale desalination, including the critical pre-treatment and post-treatment stages, has helped maximise the potential of RO technology in terms of energy efficiency, reducing the energy consumption of RO desalination plants by a further 35% over the past 10 years, she concluded.
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