Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi Arabia aims to start discussions with the US in the coming weeks to allow the American companies to participate in the Kingdom’s nuclear programme, Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Falih said.

“We’ve indicated with our American partners that we intend to localize the entire value chain with nuclear energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Reuters reported, citing Al-Falih as saying.

“We hope that through the negotiations that will be taking place over the next few weeks with our American partners that we will find common ground that will allow the American government to meet the intent of American law,” the minister added.

On Wednesday, Al-Falih forecast that the contracts of building two nuclear reactors in Saudi Arabia will be signed in 2018.

Saudi Arabia plans to use nuclear energy in peaceful uses in a bid to diversify its power sources.

The Kingdom seeks to raise its nuclear energy to 17.6 gigawatts (GW) by 2032, an equivalent of about 17 reactors.