Hashim Yamani, chairman of the King Abdullah City for Nuclear and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE), signed together with the French minister in charge of industry and energy, Eric Besson, in Riyadh on Tuesday. French Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot was present during the signing ceremony.
The agreement allows the two countries to cooperate in the fields of production, use and transfer of knowledge regarding the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
“Saudi Arabia has decided to make use of alternative energy resources, such as atomic energy, solar energy, geothermal energy and wind energy,” Yamani said, following the ceremony at the KA-CARE headquarters in the Saudi capital.
Power demand is forecast to increase by 8 percent annually in the Kingdom, he added.
“Demand for electricity in Saudi Arabia is expected to triple by 2032, which will give rise to the need for energy plants with a total of 80 gigawatts of installed capacity.”
Yamani said the agreement would pave the way for the Kingdom's long-term plans to build power stations utilizing alternative energy sources to produce electricity and water desalination.
In July last year, the council of ministers gave the green light on the accord with France, which could open the way for French aid in the development of nuclear power in the Kingdom.
KA-CARE was established by a royal decree in April last year to develop the Kingdom’s policy regarding atomic and renewable energy.
It is expected that the agreement would lay down the basis for extensive cooperation in the application of nuclear energy, specifically in the production of electricity, desalination of water, qualifying human resources in the peaceful use of atomic energy and the promotion of nuclear energy applications in the agricultural, biological, archaeological, medical and industrial sectors.
A statement issued prior to the signing ceremony said the cooperation would involve exchanging and qualifying scientific and technical teams, their participation in joint activities of research and engineering and exchange of information.
A nuclear deal with France has been expected for the past two years following an offer by French President Nicolas Sarkozy during his visit to the Kingdom in 2008 to help develop nuclear energy.
In May 2009, French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde, following meetings in Riyadh with Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf and others, that the nuclear pact would be signed “soon”.
Last month, the head of the nuclear reactor maker Areva, Anne Lauvergeon, who was in Riyadh for talks on the project, announced her company would sign a partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia's Binladin Group for nuclear and solar energy.
At the time, Yamani said nuclear and renewable energy would free up more oil for exports. “Saudi Arabia will need to invest upfront in nuclear energy, but the oil saved will contribute significantly to the costs.”
Earlier this month, SBG confirmed that it was about to sign a deal with Areva to build a nuclear reactor in the Kingdom.
