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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Shirin Lotfi - Have you been hearing the word “nuclear” a lot lately? Have you ever wondered what a nuclear power or nuclear energy even means? Did you know that Jordan is in the process of building its first nuclear reactor? In order to understand what nuclear power is, you must first understand what a nuclear reactor does.

A nuclear reactor is a reactor in which a chain reaction of splitting atoms release heat that creates steam. The steam is then connected to a generator that produces electricity. This reaction takes place within reactors that are designed, built, and operated with safety as their top priority. Nuclear energy facilities are known to be the most efficient source of electricity in the world. The key difference between nuclear reactors and other power plants is that other power plants run mostly on fossil fuels, which burn coal, oil, or natural gas.

However, the nuclear power facilities produce carbon-free electricity and power, and are known to be more eco- friendly. The other significance of building a nuclear power facility is that unlike solar panels and wind turbines that can only function during specific hours in a day, the nuclear reactor facilities provide clean and safe energy 24 hours a day and can provide a significant amount of population with electricity and heat.

There are 31 countries currently using nuclear power. According to Spero News, nuclear power is the primary source of energy in France. In 2004, 75% of France’s electricity was produced from nuclear power. In a report released by The World Nuclear Association, Jordan plans to operate its first nuclear reactor by 2020, and is currently developing its legal and regulatory infrastructure.

Jordan imports 96 percent of its energy from its neighboring countries such as Egypt and Iraq, and is among the world’s most dependent on foreign energy sources. Apart from energy, Jordan also suffers from severe water scarcity. With the rapid population growth due to immigration and refugees, the demand for energy and more clean water is only increasing.

In order to reduce the reliance on foreign energy, which also consumes a significant amount of Jordan’s GDP, Jordan has decided to invest in nuclear reactors, which would provide a larger population with a lower cost and more efficient energy and power. However, it is important to note that Jordan has been using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power to produce energy. But due to its shorter life expectancy and high cost, there is a need for Jordan to invest in a long term independent energy production. According to the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, the other benefit of having such a reactors is that they could also use the reactors for water desalination, that would convert salt water into drinking water. Moreover, the multiple disruptions of the Egyptian gas supplies to Jordan and the instability in the Middle East has cost Jordan 2 billion dollars.

While the cost of building a nuclear reactor is sky-rocketing, it would help the country become energy independent in the long run. Currently, Jordan plans to build two 1000 MW reactors in Mafraq by 2020 and 2025 respectively, and another 5MW research and training reactor in Irbid by 2015.

The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission is currently undergoing investigations with the Russian company called ‘Rosatom’ on the logistics of building Jordan’s first nuclear reactor, but has not signed any agreement yet.

* This article one of a series of reports Ammon News will publish every week.