24 March, 2015: Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan entered into the Intergovernmental Agreement on cooperation in construction and operation of a nuclear power plant on the territory of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The document was signed by Mr. Sergey Kirienko, the Director General of Rosatom State Corporation and Mr. Khaled Toukan, the Chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission. Following the signing of the Agreement, Mr. Kirienko said: Rosatom and Russian nuclear industry have the greatest respect for the decision of Jordan to invite us and entrust with the construction of the first NPP in Jordan. We will use all the experience accumulated by us to build the most modern and safest nuclear power plant.
The document envisages the construction of new NPP VVER units, 1000MW each, meeting all up-to-date safety requirements. Importantly, the project has references abroad: Kudankulam NPP, a power plant as per this design has already been built in India and its first unit is under successful operation.
The document also envisages setting up a project company that will be the customer, operator and owner of the NPP, as well as the owner of the electric power generated at the NPP. During the pre-investment stage the company will have to complete such primary tasks as examination of the out-of-site structure for the NPP construction, study of the Jordan power system, selection of the customer-engineer and consultant for development of the draft bankable feasibility. The contractors for these works will be defined during international tenders.
MR. Sergey Kirienko also added that Rosatom is ready for cooperation to attract financing for realization of the project and jointly provide the investment needed. The site suitability evaluation activities are already in progress. Following the evaluation results the feasibility report will be made and the most convenient water supply plan will be selected for the future plant considering the given conditions. Water supply is the paramount issue, as the peculiarities of the Jordan project are weather conditions and limited water resources.
Within the framework of the Agreement, Rosatom also undertakes the nuclear fuel supplies for the reactors and spent fuel take-back to Russia. Besides the implementation of the NPP construction project, the document also includes the agreement with the Jordan party related to the support in formation of a nuclear infrastructure in Jordan. In addition, the activities in forming the public acceptance in Jordan are to become the crucial part. The special public opinion research related to the NPP construction will become the first step in this direction.
In September, 2014, the Agreement on development of a power plant construction project in Az-Zarqa, the Central Region of Jordan, was signed within the framework of the IAEA 58th General Conference. The document was signed by Mr. Dzhomart Aliev, the Director General of Rusatom Overseas and Mr. Khaled Toukan, the Chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC). The document determines the parties responsibilities related to the implementation of the first stage of the project, upon completion of which a nuclear power plant agreement is to be signed. The construction agreement is planned to be concluded in 2016.
Investment in the NPP construction is envisaged to be made in the amount of $10 bn.
For more information please contact:
Dinara Shikhametova
Russian State Nuclear Agency Rosatom
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