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