Stakeholder Risk Perception of Small Modular Reactor-Based Cogeneration Infrastructure Systems for Electricity and Desalination

Kuwait’s electricity and desalinated water systems are tightly coupled through hydrocarbon-fired cogeneration, while peak demand continues to rise under extreme summer conditions. Small modular reactor (SMR) cogeneration has therefore been discussed as a possible long-term option, although it is not part of the current national energy plan. This study identifies and ranks the risks associated with the construction and development of SMR cogeneration infrastructure in Kuwait from the perspective of construction, energy and institutional stakeholders. A risk catalog was developed from the literature, Kuwait-specific nuclear and energy evidence, interviews and a focus group, and was then rated through a questionnaire completed by 267 professionals. The probability and impact of 55 risk factors were assessed using five-point Likert scales and ranked using the relative index (RII). The reliability of the probability and impact scales was high, with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.971 and 0.964, respectively. The highest ranked risks were the absence of a national nuclear energy law, the lack of a national nuclear strategy, the absence of an independent regulator, inadequate emergency preparedness and shortage of national nuclear expertise. The findings indicate that institutional and regulatory readiness, rather than technical or financial capability, forms the main constraint on any future SMR cogeneration program in Kuwait.