미국-사우디 원자력에너지 협력 전망 (Prospects for U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Energy Cooperation)
본 보고서는 미국과 사우디아라비아의 원자력 국가 프로젝트에 대해 서술하고 있습니다.
The 118th Congress may engage the Biden Administration with regard to U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia’s National Project for Atomic Energy and the potential for future U.S.- Saudi nuclear energy cooperation. In May 2022, Saudi Arabia invited technical bids related to the planned construction of two nuclear reactors, and, in January 2023, a Saudi minister restated the kingdom’s intention to use its domestic uranium resources for producing low-enriched uranium (LEU) as nuclear fuel.
Congress and successive Administrations have sought the kingdom’s commitment to forgo the most proliferationsensitive nuclear facilities—those for enriching uranium or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel to obtain plutonium—and Saudi Arabia’s acceptance of enhanced international safeguards on its nuclear program. Previous Administrations linked prospects for a U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation agreement to these conditions, and Congress has limited the use of certain funds to support possible U.S. nuclear exports to Saudi Arabia unless the kingdom makes such commitments. Depending on its nature and extent, possible future U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation may require Department of Energy (DOE) authorizations and/or congressional approval of U.S.-Saudi agreements.