14 December 2010
Middle East Gulf's nuclear shift begins
The UAE is leading the way as the GCC states look to nuclear power to meet surging electricity demand and preserve valuable oil and gas for export, writes Ian Lewis
FACED with spiralling electricity demand, all the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are studying the potential of nuclear power. But, so far, only the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has surmounted considerable logistical and financial hurdles to push ahead with a fully fledged programme. The attractions for Gulf economies are clear. Once built, nuclear power offers decades of cheap electricity that can provide a substitute, or supplement, for dwindling hydrocarbons reserves, with the bonus that they would also be able to export increasingly valuable oil and gas for longer, if they are burning less of it at home. "From many perspectives, the Gulf states have made quite a compelling case fo
Also in this section
28 November 2025
The launch of the bloc’s emissions trading system in 2005 was a pioneering step, but as the scheme hits 21 its impact as a driver of decarbonisation is still open to debate
18 November 2025
Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dewhurst Award, the highest honour bestowed by WPC Energy. The Dewhurst Award celebrates exceptional leadership, groundbreaking innovation and a lifetime of significant achievements in sup-port of the development and advancement of the energy industry.
11 November 2025
Transition policies must recognise that significant industrial demand for carbon will continue even as economies hit net zero
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined
