Jordan has inaugurated its 5MW open-pool research reactor at the University of Science and Technology in the northern province of Irbid, Petra news agency said on 7 December. The reactor was supplied by a South Korean consortium led by Daewoo Engineering and Construction Company and the South Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute which won a competitive tender for the project in 2009. The Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR) is part of the wider efforts to develop civilian nuclear technology and will also serve as a regional nuclear research centre, Petra said. In In August 2013, the Jordan Nuclear Regulatory Commission (JNRC) approved construction of the unit, which achieved first criticality in April 2016. Reports in South Korea said the JRTR cost $161m. Jordanian operators will operate the research reactor, but the South Korean consortium will provide support for the “next few years.” Petra said an 80-strong Jordanian team will operate the JRTR, which will provide training to 100 students each year. The reactor is also expected to produce medical radioisotopes.
