Libya became a member of the IAEA in 1963.
Libya has a Soviet-designed 10 MWt research reactor in Tajura that was built 1981.
In the late 1970s Libya signed a contract with the Soviet nuclear company Atomenergoexport for two VVER-440 reactors, each delivering 440 MW of electrical power on the Gulf of Sirte. The reactors were intended to serve a dual-use for electric power generation and seawater desalination. As Libya was discontented with the technology the USSR wanted to provide them with, the Belgian nuclear company Belgonucleaire was asked to take over the contract. However, due to objection from the United States for concerns regarding misuse of nuclear weapons development, Belgonucleaire refused and Libya asked the USSR again. In the end, the project was stopped during its planning phase in 1986.
In 2006 Libya and France signed an agreement on peaceful uses of atomic energy, and in July 2007, they signed a memorandum of understanding related to building a mid-sized nuclear plant with Areva reactor for seawater desalination. This deal was opposed by Germany. This was followed by a memorandum with Canada, to share nuclear medicine, desalinization technology and co-operation over nuclear energy research.
In 2010 Libya confirmed that it intended to create a nuclear energy sector.