Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz announced that the Kingdom is considering requesting a license for a Saudi nuclear power plant for electricity production.
Prince Abdulaziz also stressed to the Kingdom's contribution to supporting the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear and radiological laboratories within the framework of the ReNuAL2 Initiative.
- Saudi support
The Saudi Minister stressed the Kingdom's support for the Agency's initiative in the integrated work of the qualitative development of nuclear technologies.
Saudi Arabia is looking forward to the contributions of developed countries with their expertise and capabilities to support the Agency in implementing its programs.
- Energy resources
Speaking at the 66th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Austria, Prince Abdulaziz discussed the Saudi strategy aimed at diversifying energy sources and its national project to build a nuclear power plant to produce electricity.
He explained that currently, Saudi Arabia wants to request a license for the nuclear plant site after preparing the plant's technical specifications, which were put up in an international competition.
The Minister stressed the Kingdom's commitment, under its national decisions, to use the Agency's standards for nuclear safety and security as a basis for its criteria.
Saudi Arabia stresses the importance of concerted international efforts to implement the treaty and the importance of not politicizing non-proliferation issues while maintaining countries' rights to obtain peaceful nuclear technology.
- Exhibition
Prince Abdulaziz, with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, inaugurated the Saudi exhibition accompanying the conference, highlighting the Kingdom's activities in the nuclear and radiological regulatory commission and the importance of solid regulations.
- Desalinization industry
The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has announced the implementation of a project of photovoltaic solar cells systems (PV), including parts on water surfaces with a generation capacity of 110 megawatts.
It aims at enhancing applications of renewable energy in the desalination industry and reducing energy consumption used from the grid to less than 2.16 kilowatts per cubic meter and over 20 percent of the consumption average of design energy, which stands at an average of 2.7 kilowatts per hour for one cubic meter for the desalination system that is being established in the al-Jubail area with a production capacity of more than one million cubic meters per day.
- Standard units
The project is part of several schemes that the corporation works on to provide 300 million Metric Million British Thermal Units (MMBTU) of the consumption of natural gas, in addition to reducing fluid fuel to 10 million tons annually by 2024.
It will contribute to reducing operational costs, realizing the highest environmental standards, and reducing carbon emissions to 34 million tons, in line with the ecological standards and the Saudi Green Initiative.
SWCC has mobile plants that were designed and manufactured by the corporation itself, which rely on solar energy with a consumption rate not exceeding 2.27 kilowatts for one cubic meter, which is a new world record for this category, where the corporation seeks to reduce power consumption in these mobile plants to reach 2 kilowatts.
- New navigation line
The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) introduced a new line connecting Jeddah Islamic Port with ten global ports.
Mawani announced that the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), a global transport and logistics service, will introduce the new shipping line as part of the company's direction towards enhancing its services.
The new addition will link Jeddah Islamic Port with ports of Colombo, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Salalah, King Abdullah Port, Valencia, Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Antwerp.
At the same time, the service will include 11 mother ships with a capacity of 14,000 TEUs for each vessel, with its first vessel sailing expected to arrive at Jeddah Islamic Port on 23rd October.
- Operational efficiency
The cooperation will enhance Saudi ports' performance on the investment and logistical fronts and fulfill its aim of providing direct services to clients by strengthening connectivity between the Kingdom and the world.
It will reflect positively on the operational efficiency to align with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) objectives of positioning Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub.
The Jeddah Islamic Port derives its prominence from various attributes, which make it one of the world's major trade gateways.
The port remains the region's leading hub for trade and transshipment, as it was listed 8th on the Container Port Performance Index, issued by the World Bank in its 2021 edition.
