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Saudi Arabia — First Nuclear Power Plant (KA-CARE)

Developer
King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE)
Capacity
2800 MWe
Last updated
6/3/2026

Project overview

Reactor type
PWR
Announced
11/1/2025
Projected operational
12/31/2035

Notes

Saudi Arabia finalised the technical specifications for its first large-scale nuclear power plant in late 2025 as part of its Vision 2030 energy diversification strategy. The US and Saudi Arabian governments completed negotiations on a civil nuclear cooperation framework in November 2025 — establishing the basis for a long-term partnership and potential US reactor exports. The IAEA conducted its first-ever Management Systems Advisory Service (IMSAS) mission in Saudi Arabia in May 2025. KA-CARE is also assessing SMR technologies for electricity generation, water desalination, and hydrogen production. A 30 kWt low-power research reactor is under construction at KACST in Riyadh built by Argentina's INVAP. Saudi Arabia imports essentially all of its fuel while having approximately 20% of global oil reserves — nuclear is a strategic tool to free up oil for export while meeting growing domestic electricity demand from Vision 2030 industrialisation and the growing tech/data sector.

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