Saudi Arabia is seeking to develop a civilian nuclear programme despite possessing vast oil reserves and the capacity to export enormous quantities of crude oil. The Saudi leadership views long-term dependence on oil as both an economic and strategic challenge, and sees nuclear energy as a potential tool for diversifying the country’s energy mix and supporting its modernisation plans.
The New York Times examined the issue in a report by Zain Irwin, who wrote that a US agreement allowing Saudi Arabia to operate a uranium enrichment programme had revived longstanding concerns about a possible nuclear race in the Middle East.
Nuclear Ambitions Dating Back Decades
The report said Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions extend back several decades and are driven partly by economic and civilian considerations.
The kingdom aims to reduce its dependence on oil under Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the Saudi economy into a more diversified model. Oil accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2022.
Saudi Arabia’s ambitious development plans, including futuristic cities and large artificial intelligence data centres, will require enormous amounts of energy. This has pushed the kingdom to explore alternative sources capable of supporting rising domestic demand.
Recent instability in the Gulf region, including threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, has also exposed the risks associated with relying heavily on oil exports.
Strengthening Saudi Arabia’s Regional and Global Position
Riyadh also believes that possessing a civilian nuclear programme could strengthen its international standing, give it greater regional influence and deepen its relationship with the United States.
Neil Quilliam, a Middle East energy policy expert at Chatham House, said Saudi Arabia’s younger leadership remains confident that the United States will continue to play a major geopolitical role for decades to come.
Although Saudi Arabia has announced ambitious environmental targets, including producing half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, solar and wind energy currently account for less than 1 per cent of its electricity generation.
This leaves nuclear power as a possible component of the kingdom’s broader economic and energy transition.
