The lobbying update from AL-Monitor has more details on the attempted transfer of nuclear tech to Saudi Arabia:
The Donald Trump administration has granted nine authorizations to sell civil nuclear technology and assistance to the Middle East since taking office, including seven to Saudi Arabia and two to Jordan, Energy Secretary Rick Perry revealed to Congress this week. The so-called Part 810 approvals come after a massive lobbying push by Saudi Arabia and several US firms to negotiate a bilateral civil nuclear deal with the United States that remains in limbo amid concerns over nuclear proliferation and the congressional backlash over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the war in Yemen.
Unlike its predecessor, the Trump administration is refusing to disclose which firms were issued the 810s. However lobbying records reviewed by Al-Monitor shed some light on the matter. Virginia-based Bechtel, the largest US construction company, has lobbied the Department of Energy regarding “Part 810 licensing relating to Saudi Arabia” since the first quarter of 2018 (Bechtel National spent a total of $130,000 last year lobbying on 810s and other issues).
A Bechtel spokesperson told Al-Monitor that the firm has “no current efforts regarding commercial nuclear power in Saudi Arabia” after dropping out of the running for a bid to build two nuclear plants in the kingdom. The firm would not confirm or deny on the record that it had received an 810.
Bechtel is the only firm that has disclosed any lobbying specifically on 810s related to Saudi Arabia. Several firms that remain interested in Saudi nuclear projects and attended a meeting of nuclear developers at the White House in February however have also disclosed related lobbying. Westinghouse Electric has lobbied on “810 licensing,” while Exelon and Centrus have lobbied on civilian 123 agreements. The Fluor Corporation, which is reportedly working with Westinghouse and Exelon on the bid, has also lobbied on “Issues related to Section 123 Agreements and Part 810 Reform.”
Separately, the Saudi Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources hired four law firms last year to lobby on the nuclear issue: King & Spalding, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Gowling WLG and the law office of David B. Kultgen. Read all our Saudi lobbying coverage here.
Take it as you will.
