The Vogtle project was years behind schedule and costs were reported to have doubled to over US$30 billion. Its completion means that there are now no nuclear reactors under construction in the US, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

There鈥檚 a handful in Europe that are currently underway 鈥� most notable the delayed Hinkley Point C in the UK and France鈥檚 Flamanville 3 in northwestern France, where energy firm EDF won approval in May to load fuel into the reactor and start trials ahead of operation, 12 years behind schedule.

But elsewhere, nuclear power continues to play a significant role in meeting the increasing demand for sustainable energy sources, despite the controversies that surround it.

China has the most nuclear reactor units currently under construction, and by some distance. But other countries like India and Russia also account for a significant number of the projects being built.

In this article, Construction Briefing takes a look at four major nuclear projects to have started construction around the world so far in 2024:

1) El Dabaa Unit 4, Egypt

Construction of Egypt鈥檚 El Dabaa 1 nuclear power reactor in March 2023 (Image: Rosatom)

The fourth unit of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt officially started construction in January this year.

El Dabaa, which will consist of four 1,110 MWE VVER-1200 pressurised water reactors (PWR), will be Egypt鈥檚 first nuclear plant. It will also be the first on the continent of Africa since South Africa鈥檚 Koeberg, which went online in 1984.

The project, located 320km north-west of Cairo, is being built by Russian firm Rosatom, which is also supplying Russian nuclear fuel. The first unit began construction in July 2022.

All four units are expected to be operational by 2031, at a reported cost of US$28.8 billion.

2) Leningrad II-3, Russia

The official launch of construction for Leningrad II-3 nuclear power reactor in Russia (Image: Rosatom)

Construction on the newest nuclear reactor unit at the massive Leningrad nuclear power plant in Russia started in April this year.

Leningrad II-3 is the third of four VVER-1200 PWR reactors at the site, with a net capacity of 1085 MW. It follows Leningrad II-1 and Leningrad II-2, which entered commercial operation in 2018 and 2021 respectively.

They replace the first reactors built on the site. Leningrad 1 and Leningrad 2, both of which started operating in the 1970s, have already been shut down permanently. Leningrad 3 and 4 will remain in operation until 2025 and 2026 respectively.

Rosatom is building Leningrad II-3, while another reactor, Leningrad II-4 is still at the planning stage. Rosatom鈥檚 Titan 2-Holding is general contractor for the construction of both reactors.

The construction comes as Russia aims to increase the share of its energy generated by nuclear plants to 25% by 2045, up from around 20% currently.

3) Lianjiang-2, China

In April this year, concrete pouring for the nuclear island of unit 2 at SPIC鈥檚 Lianjiang nuclear power plant began. (Image: SPIC via Facebook)

April saw the first concrete pour for the nuclear island of the second unit at Linjiang nuclear power plant in China鈥檚 Guangdong province. The pour involved 6,615 cu m of concrete and took 57 hours to complete.

China鈥檚 state-owned State Power Investment Company (SPIC) is overseeing construction at the site, which will eventually see six CAP-1000 reactors (a Chinese adaptation of the Westinghouse AP1000 PWR) in operation.

The total cost of the plant is reported to be around US$18 billion and is due for completion in 2028.

4) Zhangzhou-3, China

Construction of unit 1 at the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant (Image: China National Nuclear Corporation)

The second phase of the construction of the Zhangzhou nuclear plant in China鈥檚 Fujian province began in February this year. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNCC), which owns the plant in joint venture with China Guodian Corporation, announced that it had started work on pouring concrete for the nuclear island of unit 3, which is the first of two Hualong One PWRs in the second phase of the build.

The site will eventually house six Hualong One reactors, each generating 1,126 MWE. The first two units at the plant started construction in 2019 and 2020 respectively and are due to enter commercial operation this year and in 2025 respectively.

China鈥檚 government gave approval to build phase 2 of the Zhangzhou project back in 2022 along with phase one of the Lianjiang project. Together, they were reported at the time to cost US$11.5 billion.