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Middle East Jurisdictions

Overview

The Middle East is traditionally dominated by oil and gas generation, but several countries are now diversifying toward nuclear and solar. The UAE's Barakah plant represents the region's first commercial nuclear operation.

Jurisdictions

JurisdictionSSS RelevanceKey ResourcesStatus
United Arab Emirates⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very HighNuclear (Barakah 20%+), Solar✅ Complete
Saudi Arabia⭐ Low (improving)Solar (growing), Nuclear (planned)✅ Complete
Israel⭐ LowSolar, Natural Gas✅ Complete

Regional Characteristics

Nuclear Development:

  • UAE: Barakah operational (4 units, 5.6 GW) — Arab world's first
  • Saudi Arabia: Nuclear program underway (~17 GW target by 2040)
  • Others: Limited interest

Renewable Transition:

  • Massive solar potential (high irradiance)
  • Limited hydro (arid climate)
  • Growing I-REC activity

EAC Infrastructure

CountryPrimary EAC SystemNotes
UAEI-RECActive market
Saudi ArabiaI-RECEmerging
IsraelI-RECActive market