USA and Jordan sign nuclear agreement

17 September 2007

The USA and Jordan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperating on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. US secretary of energy Sam Bodman and Jordanian minister for scientific research Khaled Touqan signed the MoU on the margins of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) ministerial meeting in Vienna on 16 September. Under the agreement, "the two countries will work together to develop requirements for appropriate power reactors, fuel service arrangements, civilian training, nuclear safety, energy technology and other related areas," the US Embassy in Amman said in a statement. The agreement specifies that all cooperative activities will be consistent with GNEP. Jordan, which has virtually no oil or gas resources, plans to have a nuclear power plant in operation by 2015 for electricity generation and water desalination.

Further information

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

WNA's Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries information paper

WNN: Jordan needs "smelly" nuclear
WNN: Nuclear energy an option for Gulf states