Saudi Arabia Wants U.S. Nuclear Power Plants

chemgator · Jun 2, 2023

They have the money, and they are looking to reduce oil usage for energy purposes. They want the nuclear power company structure to be based on Saudi Aramco, which was originally a U.S.-Saudi joint venture. Hopefully, the reactors will be located away from borders with countries that might try to attack them (that leaves what, the Egypt and Jordanian borders?).

One potential holdup on the deal is Saudi Arabia's insistence on enriching the uranium for the nuclear reactors on Saudi soil. The U.S. would rather they didn't because of the possibility of the fuel being diverted to nuclear or dirty weapon usage. Saudi Arabia supposedly has 7% of the world's supply of uranium.

The Saudis want the US to help build a ‘nuclear Aramco’

Riyadh has proposed to visiting American leaders developing a joint U.S.-Saudi project to build the country’s civilian nuclear energy program, four people briefed on the plans told Semafor.

The project — referred to as “nuclear Aramco” — is designed to bolster Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to produce, and potentially export, atomic energy, while also addressing U.S. and international concerns about the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology.

The Biden administration has been holding discussions with Riyadh in recent months about defense and economic cooperation, as well as potentially normalizing diplomatic relations between the Saudis and Israel — a longstanding goal of U.S. foreign policy. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said he would consider forging diplomatic ties with Israel if, in return, the U.S. offers to help Saudi Arabia develop a civilian nuclear energy industry, provides stepped-up security commitments, and greenlights new arms sales to Riyadh’s military, according to those briefed on discussions.
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he U.S. has previously sought to ink a treaty with Saudi Arabia on civilian nuclear development known as a 123 Agreement, which requires Congressional approval and allows for the transfer of sensitive atomic equipment and materials. Such a deal would allow U.S. nuclear companies, like Westinghouse, to enter the rapidly growing Saudi market, and give American officials greater leverage to prevent material from being used for weapons development.
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Saudi Arabia Wants U.S. Nuclear Power Plants

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