Saudi first nuclear reactor plant nearly complete: report

Saudi Arabia has nearly completed building its first nuclear reactor, Bloomberg has reported, citing satellite images by GoogleEarth.

The research facility is located in the southwest corner of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh.

Also read: Saudi Arabia launches first nuclear research reactor project

“The images are first in the public domain to confirm that the program is advancing, showing construction nearing its finish around a columnar vessel that will contain atomic fuel,” Bloomberg reported.

“There’s a very high probability these images show the country’s first nuclear facility,” Bloomberg quoted Robert Kelley, a former IAEA director who also led the U.S. Department of Energy’s remote sensing laboratory.

Saudi Arabia plans to build two full nuclear power reactors for energy and as many as 16 over the next 25 years, Argaam reported earlier.

In January this year, Saudi energy minister Khalid Al-Falih said Saudi Arabia’s plans to build two large nuclear power reactors are on track.