Bahrain is studying whether to build a small modular nuclear power plant, the Middle East Economic Digest reported, with the state-owned Bapco Energies leading the effort through its venture capital arm.
If it goes ahead, it would be the first nuclear plant in the kingdom, which holds the Gulf’s smallest hydrocarbon reserves. Bahrain is joining a Gulf-wide bet on small modular reactors. The UAE — currently the only Gulf country to generate nuclear power — Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are all also studying or investing in the largely unproven technology, attracted by its faster build times in the face of surging power demand from AI data centers.