Jordan parliament members visit IAEA to learn about nuclear plant startup

A delegation from Jordan’s parliament visited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Austria last week to learn more about the agency’s activities and the support it provides to countries starting a nuclear program.

Jordan wants to include nuclear among its energy sources to ensure the security of its energy supply, reduce growing energy imports and meet future increases in demand. The country plans to build a nuclear power plant at the Amra site, which is approximately 25 miles east of Amman.

IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy Mikhail Chudakov said Jordan has a long history of cooperation with the agency.

"In fact, Jordan was the first member state to request the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Mission, which is a holistic review that assists IAEA member states in assessing their status of the national infrastructure needed for introducing nuclear power," Chudakov said.

After the agency completed its third mission to Jordan in August 2014, it recommended the country finalize national policies and government commitment to nuclear energy, improve coordination among the various ministries, strengthen its legislative framework, and finalize pre-investment activities.

Delegation head Suleiman Alzaben said the group appreciated the agency’s answers to its questions about safety and security issues about the construction of the Jordanian nuclear plant.

"We also received clarification on the agency’s role in technical monitoring, compliance verification, and expert training and guidance about nuclear safety and security,” Alzaben said.

The delegation also plans to travel to Hungary to visit the Budapest Research Reactor and the Paks Nuclear Power Plant to see how safety is ensured at these nuclear installations.