Nuclear energy in Jordan

Jordan has signed memorandums of understanding with the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan, China, Russia, Spain, South Korea, Argentina, Romania, and Turkey.^[1][2][3] In December 2009, Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) in cooperation with a consortium headed by the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute signed an agreement with Daewoo Heavy Industries to build a its first 5 MW research reactor by 2014 at the Jordan University of Science and Technology.^[4]

The research reactor will become a focal point for a Nuclear Technology Centre, which will train upcoming generations of nuclear engineers and scientists in the Kingdom in addition to provide irradiation services for the industrial, agricultural and medical sectors.^[5]

Jordan plans to build at least one reactor by 2019. The government first chose a site 25 kilometers south of the Red Sea port of Aqaba^[4] but shifted the tentative location to the Mafraq area, 40 kilometers northeast of Amman, citing the proximity to the Khirbet Al Samra power plant for using its wastewater to cool the reactor. The decision to relocate the site was taken by the Belgian contractor, Tractabel, which has concluded that the seismic padding required to build on the original site near Aqaba would have led to additional costs of about 15 percent according to JAEC officials.^[3]

It will be used for electricity generation and desalination.^[6] The studies are carried out by Tractebel Engineering.^[4]

Jordan has also granted Areva exclusive mining rights for uranium in central Jordan.^[4]

See Also

• Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
• Jordan University of Science and Technology

References

1. ^ "Japan and Jordan agree to cooperate". World Nuclear News. 2009-04-14. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP-Japan_and_Jordan_agree_to_cooperate-1404094.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
2. ^ "Jordan and China sign nuclear agreement". World Nuclear News. 2008-08-20. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP-Jordan_and_China_sign_nuclear_agreement-2008085.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
3. ^ ^{a b} http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article455480.ece
4. ^ ^{a b c d} "Jordan: proposed nuclear sites 'suitable'". World Nuclear News. 2010-04-27. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Jordan_proposed_nuclear_sites_suitable-2704108.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
5. ^ "Jordan to name consultant for nuclear project in October". Power Engineering International (PennWell Corporation). 2009-09-07. http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/368766/articles/power-engineering/industry-news/jordan-to-name-consultant-for-nuclear-project-in-october.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
6. ^ Yoav Stern (2007-06-12). "Jordan announces plans to build nuclear power plant by 2015". Haaretz. http://www.haaretz.com/news/jordan-announces-plans-to-build-nuclear-power-plant-by-2015-1.217260. Retrieved 2007-07-15.