The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy President Dr. Hashem bin Abdullah Yamani on Tuesday valued the Saudi Council of Ministers issuing a decision on approving establishment of the “National Atomic Energy Project in the Kingdom.”
The initiative is based on a bid submitted by Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Affairs and Development, said the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Dr. Yamani said that the council’s approval will enable the Kingdom to advance national gains through peaceful uses of atomic energy.
Such an establishment is said to promote electric power sources, sea water desalination and others, in order to reach the optimum energy mix for the Kingdom.
Dr. Yamani gave emphasize to the program’s peaceful objectives and goals within the Kingdom’s commitment to relevant multilateral and bilateral international treaties and agreements and the guidance provided by the IAEA for states newly implementing such programs.
The national project for atomic energy consists of several main components, such as large nuclear reactors, which are reactors with an electric capacity estimated between 1200 – 1600 megawatts of power capacity of one reactor, which contribute to supporting the basic load in the electrical grid throughout the year, noting that King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy is conducting a technical study to build two large atomic reactors and small integrated nuclear reactors.
These reactors will enable the Kingdom to acquire and develop atomic energy technologies and build them in isolated areas from the electrical grid.
Through this project, the kingdom invests in uranium ore in the earth’s layers, which is estimated to stock 5% of the world’s stockpile for the production of uranium oxide, which will also contribute to the rehabilitation of Saudi specialized scientists , which will enable the localization of extraction and production of uranium ores.
Dr. Yamani added that the project takes into account international safety and safety standards through the development of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Authority to be an organizational regulatory body aimed at maintaining the nuclear and radiation safety of individuals, the environment and nuclear facilities according to international best practices.