Saudi Arabia reaffirms commitment to replace fossil fuels with nuclear and renewables

• 12 years ago (2012-11-15)
• Junior Isles

Middle East 326 Nuclear 659 Renewables 776

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Saudi Arabia plans to replace its fossil fuel power generation facilities with nuclear and renewable energy over the next 10 years, according to Abdullah Al-Shahri, governor of the Electricity and Co-Generation Regulatory Authority (ECRA).

"The Kingdom is moving toward adopting nuclear and renewable energy including solar and wind energy as the global studies have confirmed their profitability, and hopes to achieve the transition in the next 10 years," said Al-Shahri.

Al-Shahri also appealed to Saudi electricity consumers to adopt energy efficient electrical equipment as a means to potentially cut their electricity bills by half.

"Currently the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization and the Customs Department are making joint efforts to lay down the required specifications for the electrical appliances to be imported to the Kingdom and will start implementing them from next year," he said.

Work is underway for a comprehensive restructuring of Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), which controls 80 per cent of the Kingdom's power-generating companies, with the intent of eventual liberalisation and transition to a competitive electricity market.

A liberalised power sector is expected to help ease increasing electricity demand in the Kingdom - projected to reach higher than 120 000 MW by 2030.