China Offer To Build Nuclear Power Plant Is Weighed By Saudi Arabia

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Saudi Arabia is contemplating a proposal from a Chinese state-owned company to construct a nuclear power plant. This move is seen as a strategic manoeuvre by the Kingdom to enhance its position in potential negotiations with the U.S. for support in establishing a civil nuclear industry, according to Saudi officials familiar with the matter. In its pursuit of expertise in nuclear energy, Saudi Arabia has actively sought assistance in developing its civil nuclear generation capabilities. While the U.S. has been a primary preference for collaboration, Washington has approached the matter cautiously. The United States has explicitly stated that it would only aid Riyadh in developing nuclear generation capabilities if any agreement includes measures to prevent the enrichment of uranium or reprocessing of plutonium from the reactors, aiming to curb the potential weaponization of nuclear power.

Presently, Saudi Arabia is reviewing a bid from the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to construct a nuclear power plant in the Eastern Province of the country, situated near the borders with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as revealed by Saudi officials to the Journal. These officials also acknowledged to the WSJ that considering the Chinese bid is a strategic move to gain leverage in negotiations with the U.S. regarding support for Saudi Arabia's civil nuclear program, with the hope of securing compromises on non-proliferation concerns. The Middle East has not been traditionally associated with nuclear power generation, relying instead on fossil fuels to meet its electricity demands despite its abundant oil wealth. In 2020, the UAE marked a milestone by initiating operations at the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world. Plans are underway to expand this facility to meet a significant portion of the country's electricity demand. However, observers caution that any expansion of nuclear capabilities in this geopolitically sensitive region could trigger a nuclear arms race, potentially leading to disastrous consequences.