Jordan and South Korea sign nuclear power accord

24 May 2010

South Korean company to build research reactor

Nuclear bodies from Jordan and South Korea have signed an agreement to cooperate on nuclear regulatory issues.

The Jordan Nuclear Regulatory Commission (JNRC) and the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) signed the accord on 22 May.

The agreement covers regulation for nuclear reactors and research in addition to the drafting of legislation governing the preparatory stages for the kingdom’s first nuclear reactor.

The agencies will disclose the results of research, tests or inspections in relation to safety. The deal also paves the way for joint programmes and projects in safety research and development.

In 2008, the two countries signed an initial framework agreement for nuclear cooperation.

A group led by South Korea’s KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) recently won a contract to build a 5MW research reactor, which can be upscaled to 10MW at the Jordan University of Science and Technology near Irbid.

Construction work on the plant is expected to start next month, with an 18-month period set aside for environmental and seismic feasibility studies.

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