Doha: 21st of May 2026

Nuclear power is returning to the centre of the Gulf’s energy debate as governments confront soaring electricity demand, rising pressure to decarbonise and growing concerns over long-term energy security. Once viewed as too costly and complex for widespread adoption, nuclear energy is again emerging as a serious strategic option across the region. In its latest Energy Research Paper, the Al-Attiyah Foundation examines how Gulf states are reassessing nuclear power at a time of rapid energy transition and technological change.

Titled US–Gulf Nuclear Cooperation: Energy and Security, the paper explores how energy policy, emerging reactor technologies and shifting market realities are reshaping nuclear ambitions across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It finds that while nuclear power offers a reliable source of low-carbon electricity, its future in the region will depend increasingly on economics, infrastructure readiness and the evolving balance between nuclear and rapidly expanding renewable energy systems.

Three GCC countries are actively pursuing nuclear energy programmes, driven by rising electricity demand, desalination needs and tightening gas supplies. The UAE has already transformed the regional landscape. Its Barakah nuclear power plant (four reactors with 5,600 MW capacity) was fully operational by 2024 and now supplies around 22% of national electricity, rising to an estimated 44 terawatt-hours in 2025. 

The UAE’s programme is widely seen as a benchmark, completed largely on time and within budget at a cost of $24.4 billion. It has reduced reliance on gas-fired generation and become the country’s largest source of low-carbon power.

Elsewhere, progress is more uncertain. Saudi Arabia has long viewed nuclear as a way to reduce domestic oil use—currently around 1 million barrels per day for power—but its strategy is shifting. Recent plans targeting a 50% gas and 50% renewables mix by 2030 suggest nuclear is no longer central. 

The paper highlights that economics alone are no longer decisive. Rapid advances in solar, wind and battery storage have made renewables faster and cheaper to deploy, often outcompeting nuclear on cost and speed.

At the centre of this shift is the United States, which is seeking to expand nuclear cooperation with Gulf partners to strengthen its position in the global nuclear sector. However, strict legal frameworks and complex negotiations, particularly with Saudi Arabia, have slowed progress.

New technologies could reshape the outlook. Small modular reactors (SMRs), offering lower upfront costs and greater flexibility, are seen as a potential pathway for the region. While still unproven at scale, they could complement renewables and provide reliable power for smaller markets.

Whether nuclear power expands across the Gulf will depend not only on economics and technology, but on how governments balance energy security, decarbonisation and long-term industrial strategy.

To read US–Gulf Nuclear Cooperation: Energy and Security and explore the Al-Attiyah Foundation’s Energy Research Series, visit abhafoundation.org.