Saudi Arabia to Begin Domestic Uranium Extraction as Part of Nuclear Self-Sufficiency Plans

Saudi Arabia plans to start domestic uranium extraction as part of its nuclear program, with a government official stating that this move is part of the country's plans for self-sufficiency in nuclear fuel production. Hashim bin Abdullah Yamani, in charge of Saudi Arabia's nuclear power plant project, mentioned that domestic uranium extraction is also economically significant. According to Reuters, Mr. Yamani did not clarify whether Saudi Arabia is considering uranium enrichment. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, claims it will use nuclear energy only for peaceful purposes and to diversify its energy sources. A contract for the construction of two nuclear reactors in the country is expected to be finalized by the end of 2018. At the Abu Dhabi conference organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mr. Yamani stated, "Domestic uranium production is our first step towards self-sufficiency in nuclear fuel production. We will use raw uranium, which is economically very efficient." Nuclear power plants require uranium enriched to about five percent, but the same technology can be used to increase uranium concentration to levels suitable for military applications. This issue has been a core concern for the international community regarding Iran's nuclear program, Saudi Arabia's main regional rival. In 2015, Iran signed a nuclear agreement with major world powers, agreeing to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Under this agreement, Iran is allowed to produce uranium with a concentration of 3.67 percent, which is generally sufficient for nuclear power plant fuel. Reuters adds that Saudi Arabia will be the second Arab country in the Persian Gulf to start utilizing nuclear energy. The United Arab Emirates began this initiative earlier and is set to start building its first nuclear power plant by a South Korean company in 2018. The UAE has committed not to produce uranium itself and will not recycle spent fuel in the country. Informed sources say that Saudi Arabia has contacted South Korean, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, French, and American companies for the construction of its two nuclear reactors. The construction of nuclear reactors has gained more importance within the framework of Saudi Arabia's new economic plans known as Vision 2030, which was announced last year by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Mr. Yamani stated that Saudi Arabia will soon approve laws regarding the country's nuclear programs, and all regulations and guidelines related to this plan will be clarified before the end of 2018. He added, "The International Atomic Energy Agency has also been asked to review the plans related to the country's nuclear energy infrastructure in early 2018. This will allow the agency to review our plans and actions for producing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes." Saudi Arabia aims to expand the energy production capacity of its nuclear power plants to about 17.6 gigawatts by 2030, equivalent to the operation of 17 nuclear reactors. This is a powerful vision for an industry that still grapples with the aftermath of the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan. Reuters reports that an energy industry official in Saudi Arabia mentioned at an electricity energy conference held on October 11 in Riyadh that initial assessments indicate there are about 60,000 tons of raw uranium in the country.