Jordan, Russia sign nuclear agreement

AMMAN — Jordan on Tuesday signed an inter-governmental agreement with Russia to build and operate the first nuclear power plant.

The agreement represents the legal and political framework between the governments of the two countries, and highlights their support of the plan, which entails building two nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 2,000 megawatts at a total cost of $10 billion.

Jordan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Khaled Toukan and head of Russia’s state-run corporation Rosatom, Sergei Kiriyenko, signed the agreement on behalf of the Jordanian and Russian governments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In October 2013, Jordan contracted Russia's Rosatom to build the country’s first two nuclear reactors that are expected to be operational by 2022.

Under the agreement, Jordan will have the option of returning nuclear fuel waste to Russia, said Toukan at a meeting with reporters last week, adding that the age of the reactor is 60 years.

Russia will provide enriched nuclear fuel for the reactors for the first 10 years after which Jordan has the option of whether to buy nuclear fuel from Russia or any other markets as it will seek the “most suitable price”, said Toukan.