Saudi Arabia, Russia sign nuclear power cooperation deal

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

KHOBAR: Saudi Arabia and Russia have signed an agreement to cooperate on nuclear energy development, a Saudi government body in charge of such projects said.

The government body, the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, announced the cooperation deal on its website but gave no further details.

Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV, citing unnamed sources, said the kingdom planned to build 16 nuclear reactors in which Russia would play a significant role in operating them.

Also read: Saudi Arabia may try to match Iran as nuclear deadline nears

The Saudi atomic and renewable energy body has already signed nuclear cooperation deals with countries able to build reactors, including the United States, France, Russia, South Korea, China and Argentina.

It is not clear if this new deal, announced on Thursday, will take cooperation with Russia to a more advanced level.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi was due to meet his counterpart Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak in St Petersburg on Thursday to discuss a broad cooperation agreement.

In 2012, Saudi Arabia said it aimed to build 17 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear power by 2032 as well as around 41 GW of solar capacity. The oil exporter currently has no nuclear power plants.

Nuclear and solar power stations would reduce the diversion of Saudi Arabia's oil output for use in domestic power generation, leaving more available for export.

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Dayalu

Jun 19, 2015 05:04pm

Is this in reaction to Pakistan not selling their nukes in exchange of 1 bn USD of free money? Now KSA is going to build them.

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umair

Jun 19, 2015 05:12pm

All the Nucclear Powers are trying to inroduce WMDs in the garb of nuclear power in Middle East. All are running to secure their share of Petro-Dollars. Both KSA and Iran have proven to be short of temprament and with WMDs available to both the nations, there might be a nuclear catastrophe in Middle East. But good for Western Nations, they can milkout the petro dollars from both easily, once the arms race intensifies.

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AIB

Jun 19, 2015 05:26pm

Both Iran and SA using its oil power.

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Harmony-1

Jun 19, 2015 05:37pm

Why not solar power instead? Better, safer and plenty of sun in SA.

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Vijay

Jun 19, 2015 05:51pm

As the West's Iran Nuclear pact is doomed, Iran has no interest in signing it. Eventually Iran is going to get nukes so Saudi is Protecting is interest, and the Soviets get to check mate the Americans. Israelis won't dare to "touch" Saudi Nuclear Installation with Soviet in it. This is a brilliant strategic move on the part of Saudis and Soviets. By the way DAYALU Pakistan did not figure in this, this is a game played by big boys, third world countries like India or Pakistan have no say in the matter.

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M. Siddique

Jun 19, 2015 06:26pm

The bogey of Iran threatening Saudis is Western invention. When was the last time Iran and Saudis had any hot conflict? Not in the recent past. Iran-Iraq conflict was orchestrated by the US to put pressure on Iran to release US hostages and Saudis were indirectly involved.

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Anand

Jun 19, 2015 07:52pm

As the world will come to an end with never ending infinite hatredness, religious madness every country should possess nuclear weapons and destroy earth once and for all.

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Sohail

Jun 19, 2015 08:20pm

@Dayalu The only possible actions which it could be a reaction of could be either US not making nuclear deal with SA or US's nuclear deal with Iran.

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frkh

Jun 19, 2015 10:54pm

Russia Saudi ties are a very good development. This also hints at the weakening leverage of US in the middle east.

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