AMMAN — Dr. Khaled Toukan, President of the Jordan Atomic
Energy Commission unveiled new details regarding the country’s plan to
establish a nuclear power plant dedicated to desalinating seawater and
generating electricity.
اضافة اعلان
Toukan explained that the construction of the plant hinges
on government approval and securing financing. The proposed location for the
plant is in the northeastern region of the Aqaba Governorate, Ammon News
reported.
He elaborated on the cost of each unit in the proposed
plant, which is estimated to be around $750 million with a capacity of 100
megawatts. The advantage of the smaller unit is its quicker completion time,
projected to take no more than four years once all necessary approvals and
funding are obtained. In contrast, larger units typically require eight years
to be fully operational.
A plan that would result in long-lasting savings
He anticipated that the plant would result in long-lasting
savings, lasting between 60 to 80 years, without specifying the expected costs
involved. He emphasized that the project would not impose significant expenses
on the country in terms of water consumption, as cooling could be achieved
using gas.
Addressing concerns about the project's safety, Toukan
referred to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict, which has reignited
discussions on nuclear plant safety. However, he assured that the plant would
be built in accordance with international standards that cannot be surpassed.
Notably, the safety levels of small-sized nuclear plants, like the one proposed
for Jordan, are higher than those of larger plants.
Meanwhile, he announced plans to construct a compact
gas-cooled nuclear power plant for the joint production of electricity and
seawater desalination. The proposal includes an examination of the utilization
of a desalination plant employing reverse osmosis technology.
Additionally, the economic feasibility study conducted by
the commission will be reviewed to estimate the costs associated with desalination
and the transportation of water from the Gulf of Aqaba to Amman.
He emphasized that the studies have confirmed the viability
of seawater desalination as a solution to address water scarcity, utilizing
small, integrated, safe, and environmentally clean nuclear power plants. Such
an initiative would enhance energy security and contribute to carbon neutrality
goals.
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