Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10RIYADH183
2010-02-12 14:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
SAUDI INVESTMENT AUTHORITY SUPPORTIVE OF A
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHRH #0183 0431413 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 121413Z FEB 10 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2480 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS RIYADH 000183
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, ISN/CTR, ISN/NESS, ISN/RA, AND EEB/ESC/IEC
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NRC (FREELAND) AND NNSA (VAN SICKLE)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO DOE (JONATHAN ELKIND AND JIM HART)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PREL SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI INVESTMENT AUTHORITY SUPPORTIVE OF A
CIVILIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM
REF: A. RIYADH 97
B. RIYADH 161
UNCLAS RIYADH 000183
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, ISN/CTR, ISN/NESS, ISN/RA, AND EEB/ESC/IEC
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NRC (FREELAND) AND NNSA (VAN SICKLE)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO DOE (JONATHAN ELKIND AND JIM HART)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PREL SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI INVESTMENT AUTHORITY SUPPORTIVE OF A
CIVILIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM
REF: A. RIYADH 97
B. RIYADH 161
1. (SBU) Representatives from Saudi Arabian General
Investment Authority (SAGIA) told Econoffs February 10 that
SAGIA is very supportive of the development of a civilian
nuclear sector in Saudi Arabia. The Vice President for
Energy and Economic Cities Development Omar Al-Madhi said
Canadian, British, and French consulting firms had approached
SAGIA with proposals for civil nuclear projects. What their
proposals lack, he said, is a proposal to develop the
capacity for future Saudi nuclear scientists, engineers,
managers, and plant operators. Chief Strategy Officer Seema
Khan said Saudi Arabia is at a turning point in its human
capital development and is eager to move away from
consultant-dependent economic projects towards projects that
increase local capacity.
2. (SBU) Econcouns briefed the SAGIA representatives on
U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation to date including the
recent civil nuclear delegation visit to the Kingdom (ref B).
The SAGIA officials expressed interest in the possible areas
of collaboration, and noted that one possibility to
accelerate the development of a civilian nuclear program
would be to site a nuclear plant in one of the four Economic
Cities under development. Al-Madhi noted that SAGIA is the
regulatory authority for the Economic Cities, as opposed to
the Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority (ECRA),
which would regulate any plants in the rest of Saudi Arabia.
SAGIA would be willing to adopt western standard regulatory
processes that could "fast track" the development of a plant.
3. (SBU) The SAGIA officials confirmed what Ministry of
Petroleum officials have recently told Econcouns about
several countries actively promoting their interest in
building nuclear plants in Saudi Arabia. The Koreans have
recently briefed several ministries, noting that they
recently won the UAE contract to build up to four plants by
2020. Senior Canadian officials have also been actively
promoting their companies. SAGIA and Ministry of Petroleum
also confirmed that a Saudi inter-ministerial committee is
still considering whether to proceed. The Ministry of
Petroleum noted that the issue will likely take some time to
sort out in part because there is no clear ministry in the
lead.
SMITH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, ISN/CTR, ISN/NESS, ISN/RA, AND EEB/ESC/IEC
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NRC (FREELAND) AND NNSA (VAN SICKLE)
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO DOE (JONATHAN ELKIND AND JIM HART)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PREL SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI INVESTMENT AUTHORITY SUPPORTIVE OF A
CIVILIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM
REF: A. RIYADH 97
B. RIYADH 161
1. (SBU) Representatives from Saudi Arabian General
Investment Authority (SAGIA) told Econoffs February 10 that
SAGIA is very supportive of the development of a civilian
nuclear sector in Saudi Arabia. The Vice President for
Energy and Economic Cities Development Omar Al-Madhi said
Canadian, British, and French consulting firms had approached
SAGIA with proposals for civil nuclear projects. What their
proposals lack, he said, is a proposal to develop the
capacity for future Saudi nuclear scientists, engineers,
managers, and plant operators. Chief Strategy Officer Seema
Khan said Saudi Arabia is at a turning point in its human
capital development and is eager to move away from
consultant-dependent economic projects towards projects that
increase local capacity.
2. (SBU) Econcouns briefed the SAGIA representatives on
U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation to date including the
recent civil nuclear delegation visit to the Kingdom (ref B).
The SAGIA officials expressed interest in the possible areas
of collaboration, and noted that one possibility to
accelerate the development of a civilian nuclear program
would be to site a nuclear plant in one of the four Economic
Cities under development. Al-Madhi noted that SAGIA is the
regulatory authority for the Economic Cities, as opposed to
the Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority (ECRA),
which would regulate any plants in the rest of Saudi Arabia.
SAGIA would be willing to adopt western standard regulatory
processes that could "fast track" the development of a plant.
3. (SBU) The SAGIA officials confirmed what Ministry of
Petroleum officials have recently told Econcouns about
several countries actively promoting their interest in
building nuclear plants in Saudi Arabia. The Koreans have
recently briefed several ministries, noting that they
recently won the UAE contract to build up to four plants by
2020. Senior Canadian officials have also been actively
promoting their companies. SAGIA and Ministry of Petroleum
also confirmed that a Saudi inter-ministerial committee is
still considering whether to proceed. The Ministry of
Petroleum noted that the issue will likely take some time to
sort out in part because there is no clear ministry in the
lead.
SMITH