Canada, Japan, Russia and France Bid to Build Jordan’s First Reactor

map of jordan with ammanThere’s no stopping Jordan: it will build a nuclear reactor outside of Amman despite risks.

In an unstable situation in good times, it’s surprising to learn that Jordan (with its plentiful sun) is intent on building its first nuclear reactor, for what it believes to be a source of nonpolluting, sustainable energy. In the wake of Chernobyl, and now Japan’s nuclear saga, the inability for humanity to learn from its past leaves me dumbfounded.

According to the Jordan Times, and earlier Bloomberg, Jordan has been accepting bids to build a $4 billion USD, 1,100 megawatt nuclear reactor within the next 10 years, outside of Amman.

Nuclear energy and the Middle East are two words that do not go well together, considering that just a couple months ago infidels sabotaged natural gas pipelines from Egypt heading to Jordan. Containing sabotaged nuclear reactors is a little more tricky.

It’s not too late to stop the process: Winners of the bid will be announced by December, with the frontrunners being Russian Atomstroy Export, Canadian AECL and a consortium comprising French firm AREVA and Japanese Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Since reactors are cooled by water, and Jordan remains quite dry, it’s perplexing at best, environmentalists argue, as to how this new project could be compatible with the environment. Not to mention that Jordan is situated on top of a fault zone. I am still scratching my head over this one.

One way readers against nuclear energy can appeal is by contacting authorities in Canada, Japan, France and Russia where the bidders are based. “Enlightened” nations from the developed world might better find ways to help Jordan learn from the West’s mistakes by helping Jordan adopt renewables, like solar energy.

:: Jordan Times

Read more on Middle East nuclear energy:
Iran Going Nuclear in Joint Power Plant Plan with Neighbors
Jordan Explores the Nuclear Option
Is Israel Coming out of The Nuclear Closet by Planning Nuclear Power Station?

image via windfair

Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloostermanhttp://www.greenprophet.com
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]
3 COMMENTS
  1. In fact, I agree with the establishment of a nuclear project in Jordan, I think that there are risks facing any country has a nuclear reactor such as Japan and the United States and most other countries that possess nuclear reactor on its territory, there are many possibilities for positive and negative, but building a nuclear reactor in Jordan, will support Jordan and constitutes the basis of a strong state and a new step to promote industrial development in Jordan

  2. Can any of these countries build a safe nuclear reactor!? as in if our country ever god forbid and it is possible to be hit by an earthquake, knowing that our beautiful country is a hot spot for earthquakes. would we be able to avoid a nuclear catastrophe??

  3. I support nuclear energy in Jordan on moral grounds too. I don’t want Jordanians to get killed defending rich corrupt gulf fiefdoms in return for oil handouts. And I don’t want Jordan polluted with tons of chemical waste generated by batteries used to capture solar/wind energy. And I don’t want Jordanians to go poor while rich countries get richer as we pay them higher and higher prices for energy. and I don’t want Jordanians to choke on harmful fossil fuel emissions. And I don’t want more Arabs to get killed by West just so they can secure their energy needs from Arab fossil fuel. There are far more moral arguments for nuclear energy in jordan than against.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

TRENDING

Earth building with Dead Sea salt bricks

Researchers develop a brick made largely from recycled Dead Sea salt—offering a potential alternative to carbon-intensive cement.

Play spogomi the garbage picking sport and win a World Cup

If the future of environmental action looks less like a lecture and more like a pickup game, that might not be a bad thing at all.

Is It Safe to Be Around Artificial Snow?

The bacterium used in Snomax is non-viable (it is killed first) and it cannot grow at human body temperature. Regulatory reviews in Europe and North America have not found evidence that it causes infectious disease in humans. But not a lot of studies have been done.

Why this French ski village is being stalked by a nerve disease

Researchers found that this French ski village was known for eating this one thing

Brigitte Bardot dies but her legacy of animal rights lives on

Iconic French actress dies but leaves behind a legacy of caring for animals.

Qatar’s climate hypocrisy rides the London Underground

Qatar remains a master of doublethink—burning gas by the megaton while selling “sustainability” to a world desperate for clean air. Wake up from your slumber people.

How Quality of Hire Shapes Modern Recruitment

A 2024 survey by Deloitte found that 76% of talent leaders now consider long-term retention and workforce contribution among their most important hiring success metrics—far surpassing time-to-fill or cost-per-hire. As the expectations for new hires deepen, companies must also confront the inherent challenges in redefining and accurately measuring hiring quality.

8 Team-Building Exercises to Start the Week Off 

Team building to change the world! The best renewable energy companies are ones that function.

Thank you, LinkedIn — and what your Jobs on the Rise report means for sustainable careers

While “green jobs” aren’t always labeled as such, many of the fastest-growing roles are directly enabling the energy transition, climate resilience, and lower-carbon systems: Number one on their list is Artificial Intelligence engineers. But what does that mean? Vibe coding Claude? 

Somali pirates steal oil tankers

The pirates often stage their heists out of Somalia, a lawless country, with a weak central government that is grappling with a violent Islamist insurgency. Using speedboats that swarm the targets, the machine-gun-toting pirates take control of merchant ships and then hold the vessels, crew and cargo for ransom.

Leopoldo Alejandro Betancourt López Turned Ocean Plastic Into Profitable Sunglasses

Few fashion accessories carry the environmental burden of sunglasses. Most frames are constructed from petroleum-based plastics and acrylic polymers that linger in landfills for centuries, shedding microplastics into soil and waterways long after they've been discarded. Leopoldo Alejandro Betancourt López, president of the Spanish eyewear brand Hawkers, saw this problem differently than most industry executives.

Why Dr. Tony Jacob Sees Texas Business Egos as Warning Signs

Everything's bigger in Texas. Except business egos.  Dr. Tony Jacob figured...

Israel and America Sign Renewable Energy Cooperation Deal

Other announcements made at the conference include the Timna Renewable Energy Park, which will be a center for R&D, and the AORA Solar Thermal Module at Kibbutz Samar, the world's first commercial hybrid solar gas-turbine power plant that is already nearing completion. Solel Solar Systems announced it was beginning construction of a 50 MW solar field in Lebrija, Spain, and Brightsource Energy made a pre-conference announcement that it had inked the world's largest solar deal to date with Southern California Edison (SCE).

Related Articles

Popular Categories