Saudi Arabia making great strides towards first nuclear plant

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Saudi Arabia has completed the essential administrative preparations related to regulatory framework for the first nuclear power plant of the kingdom and the requirements for implementing the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, reported the Saudi Gazette citing the kingdom's energy minister.

"We have submitted a request to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in this regard this July to rescind the Small Quantities Protocol and implement the full Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement," said Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

He was addressing the 68th Session of the General Conference of IAEA in the Austrian capital Vienna.

The kingdom is currently working with the IAEA to finalize all necessary subsidiary arrangements for the Small Quantities Protocol to be effectively rescinded by the end of December of this year, he stated.

Prince Abdulaziz, who is also chairman of the Board of Directors of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy and chairman of the Board of Directors of Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission, said that the kingdom was moving towards benefiting from nuclear energy and its radiation applications for peaceful purposes.

"Given the importance of nuclear energy in social and economic development, the kingdom is moving towards benefiting from nuclear energy and its radiation applications for peaceful purposes, and it continues to implement its national nuclear energy project with all its components, including the construction of the first nuclear power plant in the Kingdom to contribute to the national energy mix and to achieve the sustainable national development in accordance with the national requirements and within the framework of the international commitments," he stated in his address.

"We are continuing to implement our national project for peaceful nuclear energy, while our systems and infrastructure meet the required international regulatory requirements," he added.

The minister later revealed that Riyadh will be hosting the International Conference on Nuclear Emergencies by the end of 2025 as part of the kingdom's focus on preparedness to nuclear emergencies and in recognition of the Agency's important role in this area.