Kingdom of Jordan announces it wants to build two more
- By Thomas Cheplick -
According to the Kingdom of Jordan's Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC), the country now wants to construct two more nuclear power plants within the coming years. This means Jordan now wants to construct a total of four nuclear power plants.
Jordan estimates that nuclear power could generate 60 percent of the Kingdom's energy needs by 2035.
JAEC's Chairman, Khaled Toukan, said the commission is bidding for offers to build the plants and is in the process of creating a shortlist.
JAEC is examining whether to construct the new plants east of the Jordan Valley.
Already, the Kingdom's University of Science and Technology is scheduled to begin construction this September of the country's first nuclear research reactor. According to Toukan, the reactor will be fully operational within five years.
Jordan is looking to sign nuclear assistance agreements with Spain, Romania, and Argentina by the end of the year. Negotiations with the United States are said to be nearing completion. Should all negotiations be completed successfully, Jordan will have 11 different country aiding its nuclear power program.
France, China, South Korea, Canada, Russia, and the United Kingdom are already assisting the tiny Mid-East country.
“We want to establish a strong foundation for a process that will run for a century, therefore it is imperative to establish cooperation with many countries,” said Toukan.
JAEC notes that of the now four proposed nuclear power plants many different companies will be chosen to help construct each. As well, the Kingdom would like to use different technologies for each proposed plant.
“We are taking off on all fronts - mining, the nuclear plant and the nuclear research reactor - with full transparency and international cooperation, emphasizing all our rights under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” Toukan said.