The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will establish the country’s first nuclear power plant, known as the National Atomic Energy Project, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The announcement was made by Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman while addressing the 67th General Assembly meeting of the IAEA in Vienna on Monday, September 25.
Saudi Arabia, according to Prince Abdulaziz, is eager to launch a regional cooperation centre in collaboration with the IAEA to build capacity in the areas of preparedness and response to radiological and nuclear emergencies as well as other regulatory aspects at the national, regional, and global levels.
He explained that Saudi Arabia believes in the positive contributions of nuclear energy and its social and economic benefits, including the treatment of cancer patients and the nuclear fuel cycle, under relevant international treaties and agreements.
The announcement from the world’s largest oil exporter comes a month after media reports suggested that Riyadh is considering a Chinese bid to build a nuclear power plant in the kingdom.
In late August, the Wall Street Journal reported that the kingdom’s consideration of the bid by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) had come following the United States (US) refusal to support the Arab country’s move to build the nuclear power plant.
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