HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy met today with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, who is currently visiting the Kingdom.
During Grossi's visit to the Kingdom, which aims to explore the latest technologies and procedures related to the nuclear energy sector in the Kingdom, he visited the regulatory laboratories of the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission (NRRC), where he was received by NRRC chief executive Dr. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Issa.
Accredited by the IAEA's Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (ALMERA) network, the laboratories play a crucial role in supporting the NRRC in fulfilling its regulatory responsibilities. Aligned with its objectives to safeguard humans and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation, the laboratories also assess the level of nuclear materials to meet specific international commitments of the Kingdom.
Grossi also visited the Nuclear Emergency Operations Center, which encompasses various platforms, including the Unified System for Information Exchange in Incidents and Emergencies (USIE), the national platform for continuous environmental radiation monitoring and early warning linked to the International Radiation Monitoring Information System (IRMIS) and the decision support platform for simulating nuclear incidents and radioactive pollution clouds. This is associated with precise climatic monitoring, aiding in making proactive decisions based on forecasts of radiation pollution consequences.
During the visit, the IAEA director general stressed that the robust regulatory framework implemented by the Kingdom underscores its readiness to commence nuclear programs for energy production, which in turn enhances the role and integration of the international system.
Grossi also visited the King Abdullah City for Atomic & Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE), where he discussed with the CEO of K.A.CARE, Dr. Mamdouh bin Saud bin Thunayan Al-Saud, the ongoing collaboration between the two entities.
Through this collaboration, the IAEA has contributed to enhancing human capabilities in the Kingdom, particularly in the fields of atomic energy, nuclear and radiation technologies, technical cooperation projects, and expert missions supporting K.A.CARE's efforts in localizing the nuclear energy industry in the Kingdom.
Additionally, this collaboration has contributed to the involvement of K.A.CARE's experts in supporting the IAEA across its various programs, serving the member states. They have also played a role, through such collaboration, in implementing and advancing the guidelines and tools published by the IAEA, assisting countries in establishing the necessary nuclear infrastructure for the introduction of nuclear energy.
The visit also included a tour of the Mishkat Interactive Center for Atomic and Renewable Energy, which is one of the K.A.CARE's initiatives.
The Mishkat Center – which means a niche – aims to raise community awareness about the sciences, technologies, and applications of atomic and renewable energy through diverse enriching and interactive programs.
Grossi visited King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and met with its president, Munir M. Eldesouki, in the presence of a number of energy, research, development, and innovation officials in the Kingdom, where he was briefed about KACST's efforts in building the Low Power Research Reactor, which was inaugurated by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and is now being developed as the Kingdom's first research nuclear reactor and is considered one of the ambitious projects of the Saudi Vision 2030 and a major pillar of the National Project for Atomic Energy.
The IAEA director general listened to a briefing about the components of the nuclear reactor, which was designed in low power to be multi-purpose like power-generating reactors with the aim of equipping qualified national personnel with high skills in atomic energy technologies and nuclear reactor operation and enhancing the outputs of research and innovation in atomic energy.
The reactor also aims to transfer and localize promising nuclear technologies and applications, making nuclear energy a part of the Kingdom's energy system, and enhancing the Kingdom's role as a leading and active country in the field of energy.
The IAEA chief toured KACST and checked on the “Garage" project, which aims to inspire entrepreneurs to start their own technology businesses and attract creative ideas to support entrepreneurship.
Grossi concluded his tour with a visit to King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, where he was briefed about the technologies used and toured the Cyclotron and Radiopharmaceuticals Department, which meets the needs of local and regional medical centers for radioactive preparations used in the diagnosis and treatment of a number of microdiseases, which provides its products to more than 45 Saudi centers specializing in nuclear medicine.
