Bahrain and France to co-develop civil nuclear energy

Bahrain and France have signed a preliminary agreement to develop a civil nuclear energy programme as part of broader efforts to strengthen economic ties.

The interim deal was signed in Manama in the presence of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and French President Emmanuel Macron, state-run Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

Under the agreement, Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs will cooperate on developing the nuclear energy programme, the statement said.

Last July, Bahrain signed an interim agreement with the US to explore civil nuclear energy.

Power demand in the Middle East is expected to rise by 40 percent by 2035, driven in part by data centres, according to independent research group Rystad Energy.

Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, speaker of Bahrain’s Council of Representatives, said the agreement aims to build the skills and expertise needed for a sustainable civilian nuclear programme through advanced training, the BNA reported.

In July, Meed reported that state energy company Bapco Energies was exploring the construction of a modular nuclear power plant in the country.

The UAE has led the region on nuclear power with its $24 billion Barakah station, the GCC’s only nuclear plant.

The four-reactor site was completed in December 2023 and has a lifespan of about 60 years. It meets about 25 percent of the UAE’s electricity needs.

Further reading:

• US to announce nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
• Turkey widens tax breaks for nuclear power projects
• There’s no denying nuclear power’s momentum