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King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) is a scientific government institution that supports and enhances scientific applied research. It coordinates the activities of government institutions and scientific research centers in accordance with the requirements of the development of the Kingdom. . It coordinates the activities of government institutions and scientific research centers in accordance with the requirements of the development of the Kingdom. It also cooperates with the relevant authorities in identifying national priorities and policies in technology and science so as to build a scientific and technological basis that serves development in agriculture, industry, mining, etc. It also aims at developing national competences and recruiting highly qualified specialists to help develop and control modern technology in order to serve development in the Kingdom.

KACST has several research interests in nuclear technology (and its peaceful usage) and various physics fields. The aim is to localize these technologies and build national expertise that will help to achieve the national strategic plan. KACST has finished designing the first nuclear research reactor in the Kingdom, which involves participation from Saudi engineers and was done in collaboration with international companies in this field, and has just started the construction activities of the reactor. Such a reactor will help transfer and localize these technologies with the highest level of international nuclear safety and security.

Saudi Arabia is close to completing the construction of its first nuclear reactor in the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh, Robert Kelley, a former International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director told Bloomberg 03 April 2019 after analysing satellite images from Google Earth. Kelley said that judging by the photos it's a 30-kilowatt research reactor, which would be ready to function within a year.

Bloomberg reported "The vessel is about 10 meters (33 feet) high with a 2.7 meter diameter, matching specifications of other research reactors, according to Kelley, who also used images published by Zamil Industrial Investment Co. to reach his conclusion."

The reactor itself was designed by the Argentinian company Invap SE, but the engineering was completed by Saudi specialists. Argentinian envoy to the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, confirmed to The Guardian that Invap was in charge of designing the reactor and that it will be operational "by the end of the year roughly". The Guardian reported that "The satellite photos show that a 10-metre high steel tubular vessel, which will contain the nuclear fuel, has been erected, and construction work is under way on the surrounding concrete building."

The news about the reactor's near completion also come amid an ongoing US Congressional investigation into the US DoE (Department of Energy) granting seven permits for American companies to transfer sensitive nuclear technologies to Riyadh, allegedly under pressure from the White House, which is seeking to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in the area of nuclear energy.