On Tuesday 19 February 2019, Asharqia Chamber helds a meeting with the company Rosatom, which is specialized in nuclear energy, at the headquarter of the Chamber.
The meeting was attended by board member Najib bin Abdullah Al-Sihati, the Secretary General of the Chamber Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al Wabel, and Rosatom Middle East and North Africa CEO Alexander Voronkov.
It witnessed a remarkable presence by the business sector, specialists and interested parties and individuals.
During the meeting, Saadoun bin Khalid Al Khalidi, amember of the Board of Directors of Asharqia Chamber, stressed that there are huge variety of business opportunities in the Kingdom, especially with regard to nuclear energy.
He called on the Russian investors to seize investment opportunities in this area,
Al-Khalidi said that the bilateral relations between the Kingdom and Russia are a new direction after the historic visit of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to Moscow in late in 2017, where more than 15 agreements have been signed between the two countries, especially in the fields of defense, energy, petrochemicals, logistics, technology transfer and infrastructure development.
Al-Khalidi said that this meeting helps officials in the Russian company to identify the potential success partners in the implementation of nuclear power projects in the Kingdom.
He noted that it has an ambition to generate at least 17.6 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2032 with the start of the construction of the first two nuclear reactors soon, where the Crown Prince His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman put the cornerstone of the first reactor for nuclear research.
He pointed out that the Kingdom has a plan to build up to 16 nuclear reactors over the next 25 to meet the growing demand for electricity.
Saudi Arabia is expected to achieve at least 15 per cent of total nuclear power.
Al-Khalidi said that the Vision of the Kingdom 2030 set the direction of the Kingdom in this area, where it was interested in the production of electricity from nuclear energy, which opens the door for companies to invest in this promising sector.
Voronkov said that the company offers the latest technology with the highest standards of safety and security in the construction of nuclear reactors.
He pointed out that the company Rosatom is one of the leading companies in the world in the simultaneous implementation of energy units.
It has the largest collection of foreign construction projects in 12 countries with the second largest uranium reserves of 17% of the global nuclear fuel market.
Rosatom also manufactures equipment, produces isotopes for nuclear medicine and conducts research and material studies.
For his part, Milos Mustique, Vice President of the company Overseas branches, said that the company attaches great importance to the settlement in the construction of nuclear plants in many countries.
"We offer our customers a package of integrated solutions and services to support and enhance every stage of their national nuclear programs," he added, "Our services include the development of nuclear infrastructure and assistance in establishing an organizational framework and training of local staff."
He pointed out that Saudi employees will be trained and educated in Russia to work in nuclear projects in the Kingdom.
At the end of the meeting, the member of the Board of Directors of Asharqia Chamber, Saadoun bin Khaled Al-Khalidi, presented a commemorative plaque to Alexander Voronkov, Rosatom Middle East and North Africa CEO.
