Saudi considers building first nuclear power plant

Saudi Arabia nuclear energy advances with a pilot plant to generate electricity, curb power outages, meet surging demand, link Gulf grids, and deepen France cooperation on civilian reactors and regional power trading.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, is looking at building its first nuclear power plant, an official told an Arabic-language daily.

Minister of Water and Electricity, Abdullah bin Abdul-Rahman Al Husayen, told the Al Watan newspaper: “The kingdom is working on building a pilot plant fuelled by nuclear energy” to generate electricity.

In May French’s Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said Saudi Arabia and France were close to finalizing a civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreement, as the kingdom moves to double generation by 2020 domestically. Power demand in the kingdom has surged due to rapid economic growth, and lack of infrastructure to meet its domestic requirements, prompting officials to look to solar alongside conventional options.

Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab economy, already faces costly power outages of up to five hours a day in the industrial zone of the commercial hub of Jeddah. Last month, Gulf countries took a step towards easing regional power shortages by linking up their electricity grids, while ideas such as a Gulf reactor have been discussed as longer-term options.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain signed a power trading agreement in July that could start seeing power flow across borders soon. Civilian nuclear power programs are also being explored by a number of Gulf oil exporting countries as part of wider Middle East nuclear plans taking shape regionally.

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