Developing the strategy, operating model and rollout plan for Saudi Arabia’s nuclear build program
From national ambition to operational blueprint.
Nuclear capacity targeted
We partnered with King Abdullah City for Atomic & Renewable Energy to design the operating model, governance structure, legal framework, and organizational design for a program targeting 17.6 GW of nuclear capacity by 2030, with a 65% localization rate.
Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions required a comprehensive institutional framework built from the ground up — one that could navigate the intersection of international nuclear standards, national industrial policy, and the Kingdom’s localization agenda.
The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 identified nuclear energy as a critical pillar of the national energy diversification strategy. With a target of 17.6 GW of nuclear capacity, Saudi Arabia was embarking on one of the most ambitious nuclear build programs in history — comparable in scale to the early French and Korean programs that took decades to mature.
Yet unlike those programs, KACARE needed to move at unprecedented pace. The entity required a complete operating model — governance, organizational design, legal frameworks, supply chain strategy, and workforce planning — designed simultaneously rather than sequentially.
“We weren’t building a single power plant. We were building the institutional infrastructure to deliver an entire national nuclear program.”
— KACARE Program Director
The localization mandate added a further layer of complexity. A 65% localization rate meant that the program needed to catalyze an entirely new domestic nuclear supply chain while maintaining the safety and quality standards demanded by international nuclear regulators.
We assembled a multidisciplinary team spanning nuclear energy, organizational design, legal advisory, and industrial strategy to deliver an integrated program framework.
Institutional Design
Designed the complete organizational structure, governance framework, and reporting lines for the nuclear program entity, benchmarked against leading international nuclear organizations.
Legal & Regulatory Framework
Developed the legal architecture for nuclear procurement, international partnerships, and regulatory compliance aligned with IAEA standards and Saudi national law.
Supply Chain & Localization Strategy
Mapped the nuclear value chain to identify localization opportunities, developed supplier qualification frameworks, and designed the industrial participation program targeting 65% local content.
Workforce & Capability Plan
Created the long-term workforce plan including recruitment, training pipelines, international secondment programs, and knowledge transfer mechanisms from technology partners.
The program framework was approved at the highest levels of government and became the foundation for Saudi Arabia’s nuclear energy future.
Nuclear capacity targeted
Localization rate designed into the program
In programs strategically advised
“Arpus delivered what the major consulting firms could not — a practical, implementable framework that reflected the realities of building a nuclear program in the Kingdom, not a theoretical model borrowed from another jurisdiction.”
Senior DirectorKACARE
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