Saudi Arabia building 16 nuclear reactors in 25 years
Construction of first reactor already underway
A report from the Saudi Press Agency has said that the Kingdom plans to build two nuclear reactors for energy in the coming years, and as many as 16 over the next 25 years. Construction on the first reactor is already underway and is expected to be complete by the end of 2019.
The design of the reactor has been developed by scientists from the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), with the support of global experts. It was designed to follow all the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The projects are one of several that were inaugurated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on November 5. The Crown Prince also unveiled projects in the fields of renewable energy, water desalination, genetic medicine and aircraft design. The projects were discussed during the Crown Prince’s visit to KACST.
During his tour of KACST headquarters, the Crown Prince also reviewed the ongoing solar-powered water desalination projects in Al Khafji and Yanbu area of the Kingdom. According to the report, the Al Khafji plant will boast a capacity of 60,000cu/m per day, while the Yanbu plant will have a capacity of 5,200cu/m per day.
