Saudi Arabia's Nuclear Program Focused on Energy Generation

The Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy, Adel Al-Jubeir, on Thursday said the nuclear program of the country is strictly for energy generation. He said this in a dialogue session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which was hosted by the Saudi House.

Pursuing Nuclear Energy

The Saudi Minister also noted that the Kingdom is tapping into its extensive uranium reserves, which make up an estimated 1% to 4% of global supplies, according to Saudi Gazette.

Noting that Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest energy producers, Al-Jubeir said: “We want to convert uranium into fuel that is sold at a higher price, and this includes all the stages of converting uranium from raw material to energy.”

Al-Jubeir also referred to Saudi Arabia's mining and uranium enrichment programs, stating that the Kingdom would exploit the employment, industries, and revenues created by uranium mining and processing.

Dominating Energy Exports

Al-Jubeir further stated that Saudi Arabia aims to export a range of energy products globally, including oil, gas, electricity, solar energy, water energy, and even nuclear energy.

“We do not want to be a country where mining companies come to extract minerals and transport them abroad for processing, refining and producing energy outside the country, so that we end up with a hole in the ground and benefit from only 10% of the value,” he noted.

Peaceful Purposes

The Saudi Minister categorically ruled out the development of nuclear weapons, reiterating that the nuclear plans of the Kingdom are strictly for peaceful purposes.

“We believe that we can achieve this in a way that has nothing to do with producing nuclear weapons as our main goal is to produce energy and make profits,” he said.

Ambitious Nuclear Plans

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman disclosed earlier this month that the Kingdom is planning to enrich and sell uranium.

During his participation in iktva 2025, he said: “For those who question our mining capabilities, we will not only mine and manufacture uranium, but we will also enrich it and sell it.”

Additionally, the Saudi Energy Minister mentioned that the Kingdom has two mountains rich in rare minerals and emphasized that Saudi Arabia will supply key materials for industries to ensure energy security, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding oil supplies.