Saudi Arabia seeks nuclear technology in talks with Wright

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are back in talks over helping the kingdom to develop a commercial nuclear power industry.

The on-again, off-again idea that Saudi Arabia has vigorously pursued is being revived during the ongoing Gulf visit by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who met with Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef in Riyadh on Sunday.

Wright told reporters that the Trump administration may be willing to give Saudi Arabia access to U.S. nuclear technology and allow it to enrich uranium, The New York Times reports.

“We’ve not reached the details on an agreement, but it certainly looks like there is a pathway to do that,” Wright said. “The issue is control of sensitive technology. Are there solutions to that that involve enrichment here in Saudi Arabia? Yes.”

Saudi Arabia has been seeking access for years to U.S. nuclear technology that would help it generate electricity and diversify its economy beyond dependence on oil revenues. The U.S. has attached conditions to ensure that its technology is not used to produce nuclear weapons, terms Saudi Arabia has resisted, citing Iran’s pursuit of atomic arms.

In their quest for nuclear capability, Saudi leaders have also explored obtaining the technology from Russia or China, but they’ve expressed a preference for working with the U.S.

Alkhorayef said his meeting with Wright focused on identifying investment opportunities with the U.S. while building cooperation in mining, especially for minerals needed for production of electric vehicles and their components, Arab News reports.