KSA, Russia discuss nuclear cooperation

The Saudi-Russian Joint Nuclear Coordinating Committee held its first meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday to discuss cooperation on peaceful uses of 
atomic energy.
The Saudi side was headed by Waleed Husain Abulfaraj, vice president of the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) whereas the Russian side was led by Kirill Komarov, the No. 2 man at the nuclear giant Rosatom, the Russian Federation’s national nuclear energy corporation, an official at the KACARE said on Wednesday.
He revealed that the meeting was held within the framework of the agreement signed between the two countries on June 18, 2015.
“During the meeting, the two parties discussed different aspects of cooperation on peaceful uses of atomic energy and various ways of developing it, and implementation of joint programs and projects, especially benefiting from Russian technology and expertise related to atomic energy,” the official said.
Earlier, Komarov and his accompanying delegation met Hashem Abdullah Yamani, president of KACARE, in Riyadh. The Russian side was briefed on the Kingdom’s ambitious projects in establishing the atomic and renewable energy sectors.
The meeting was also attended by Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov and a number of high-ranking officials from KACARE.
The Kingdom is working on an ambitious atomic energy program which aims to replace 50 percent of the dependence on traditional fossil fuel with eco-friendly atomic and renewable energy by 2032.
“Vision 2032” assumes greater significance with government estimates anticipating demand for electricity in the Kingdom to exceed 120GW by 2032; hence, a balanced energy mix of alternative and conventional energy is strategically important for the Kingdom’s long-term prosperity, energy security and its leading position in the global energy market.