AKEED, Osama Rawajfeh

News headlines on the statements made by Dr. Khaled Toukan, chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC), during a news conference on 26 June 2018 have confused observers and others following developments in the Jordanian nuclear file. The main development in this issue was the plan to establish a large nuclear reactor, based on a memorandum of understanding signed with Russia around three years ago.  

Media outlets reported conflicting information despite the fact that the statements were made at a news conference. They did not explain whether Toukan had explicitly announced shelving the project to establish a large nuclear plant once and for all or if it has been delayed for several years and replaced by small nuclear reactors.

Toukan: Project of Large Nuclear Plant Not Scrapped; We Are Working on Two Parallel Tracks

In a statement to the Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor (AKEED), Dr. Khaled Toukan, chairman of the JAEC, denied that the project to establish a large nuclear power plant with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts in the region of Amra had been canceled. What happened is the termination of the agreement to set up this reactor with the Russian side due to the financial cost. He noted that what media outlets reported on the news conference "was taken out of context. There are also scientific errors."

Toukan added: "We are currently working on two parallel tracks. The first is for the long run and will most probably be in 2029. This concerns the large nuclear reactor, which is scheduled to be set up in Amra at a capacity of 1,000 megawatts. In the short run, we talked to international parties about the establishment of a small nuclear reactor in the area of the Aqaba Industrial Estate at a capacity of up to 200 megawatts. This is because the cost is less."

Toukan urged media outlets to seek accuracy when reporting information, specifically in relation to scientific and technical matters. He noted that there were errors in covering the news conference, which muddled the information that was revealed.

What Did the Media Say?

News headlines on the story included the following: "Toukan: Developments in Energy Sector Prompted Opting for Small Reactors." He noted here "giving priority to small nuclear reactors and postponing the construction of a large nuclear plant to the next decade." The headline of another story was decisive: "Toukan Announces Dropping Construction of Large Nuclear Plant Once and For All." He said in it that "the JAEC has completely abandoned the idea of establishing a nuclear plant with Russian technology at a capacity of 2,000 megawatts." Other headlines included the following: "Toukan: Jordanian-Saudi-Korean Cooperation To Establish Small Nuclear Reactor." The text of this story did not include any information about halting construction of the large nuclear reactor; it included justifications for choosing small reactors due to the difficult financial conditions of the Kingdom.

Toukan referred in his news conference to a previous decision by the Cabinet, No. 1351 dated 25 August 2013, to "suspend work with the Russian side on large nuclear reactors for financial and economic reasons." Two years later, specifically on 25 March 2015, the JAEC signed an agreement with Russia worth $10 billion, laying down the legal basis for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Jordan at a capacity of 2,000 megawatts. The plant will have two energy units and will be established in the Amra region north of Jordan by 2022. How is it that an agreement was signed around two years after a government decision to suspend work with the Russian side?

Other headlines on the news conference included the following: "Toukan: Small Nuclear Reactors Do Not Cancel Option of Large Nuclear Reactor."

On Thursday, 24 May 2018, Jordan and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding enabling the two parties to conduct studies for building small modular reactors. The media ran the story under the headline "Jordan Denies Abandoning Option of Establishing Large Nuclear Plant." It stated the following: "Dr. Khaled Toukan, head of the JAEC, said that Jordan's opting for small modular reactors in cooperation with Russia does not mean canceling the option of building a large nuclear plant."

Other headlines were as follows: "Jordan Drops Idea of Establishing Large Nuclear Reactor," "Toukan Denies Option of Canceling Nuclear Plant," and "Reasons for Delaying Project of Large Nuclear Plant in Jordan."

The justifications of the head of the JAEC for replacing the idea of establishing a large reactor with small reactors were that they need less financing and that international preparedness for financing these reactors is greater than large plants.

Environmental, Media Opinions

The project of the large nuclear reactor, which was scheduled to be established in a country that imports 97% of its energy to generate electricity, has been met with opposition by experts, specialists, politicians, and citizens due to fears over negative effects on the population of the area of this reactor. Besides, they criticized misleading information and lack of official transparency vis-à-vis the project.

Moreover, a study conducted by the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, whose results were announced on 31 August 2016, concluded that 72% of Jordanians support the construction of a plant to generate electricity from nuclear power in Jordan. Also, 71% of the respondents in the sample of "opinion leaders" in the study approved of the construction of the plant.

Basil Burqan: Vagueness, Foot-Dragging Started With Idea of Establishing Nuclear Plant

Dr. Basel Burgan, president of the Jordanian Friends of Environment who opposes nuclear power projects locally and internationally, told AKEED that "vagueness and foot-dragging, as reflected in the statements issued by the JAEC, are not new. They have beset this project since the launch of the idea of a nuclear plant in 2007. Citizens are unaware of any developments in this project."

Burgan cited the example of inaccurate and conflicting information over the amounts of uranium in Jordan. He said that "Dr. Khaled Toukan stated initially that there are 40,000 tonnes of uranium. He then said 80,000 tonnes, and then 120,000 tonnes." He added: "The government agreed with three companies, including a French company, to carry out uranium mining in the Kingdom. The conclusion was that there were 12,000 tonnes of uranium with various concentrations. The companies withdrew afterwards." Dr. Khaled Toukan cast doubt on the conclusions of the French company over the amounts of uranium in Jordan.

The availability of commercial amounts of uranium has stirred up a debate within the Jordanian nuclear file. While a government report issued by the state-owned Jordanian Uranium Mining Company revealed the availability of around 65,979 tonnes of uranium oxide, including around 28.5 thousand tonnes in the center of the Kingdom, a parliamentary report issued by the Energy Committee accused Dr. Khaled Toukan of "misleading the public."

Media outlets published several stories on the contradiction in the amounts of uranium that are available in Jordan under different headlines, including: "Jordanian Professor Provides Details, Casts Doubt on Toukan's Story on Uranium," "Uranium in Jordan: Amounts and Figures Between Reality and Illusions," "Statement to the Jordanian People About Uranium Reserves," and "Experts: Amounts of Uranium in Jordan Not Enough for Competition in International Markets."

Burgan told AKEED that what is happening in the nuclear file "shows disregard for the Jordanian people. So far, there has been no feasibility study of a project that affects the future of the people." He added that "in spite of this, close to 100 million dinars have been spent on the idea of the project to no avail." He pointed out that "the notion of replacing a large nuclear reactor that has a capacity of 2,000 megawatts with small reactors that have a capacity of 100-120 megawatts is not feasible. This is because generating electricity according to the scheduled amounts needs more than a small nuclear reactor. It could require 10 reactors, each of which needs infrastructure and a water treatment plant. This is besides the environmental impact on the areas where they will be constructed."

The president of the Friends of Environment added that "the justifications advanced by the JAEC, including memoranda and agreements with numerous countries, show that we are a testing ground."

Batir Wardam: Deception Due to Lack of Transparency of JAEC, Journalists Not Investigating Vague Information

Batir Wardam, an environmental activist and media person, told AKEED that "deception is due to two reasons. The first is the lack of transparency and clarity of the JAEC in addressing the public. The second is the responsibility of journalists as their profession requires clarifying vague notions, especially when it has to do with technical matters."

Wardam added that "half of the statements reported about the news conference are correct. There was talk in the conference about dropping large reactors and going for small reactors. However, news headlines differed when reporting on the event. Besides, the JAEC was not perfectly clear in its decision. Has it completely abandoned its project, which it has been promoting for around 10 years, or has it postponed the idea?"

On the technical aspect of the project, the environmental activist who opposes the use of nuclear power said: "Small reactors are a theory on paper; they are uncertain. Besides, the JAEC has not announced many technical details that are supposed to be clear to the citizens who finance it through the general budget."

Wardam said that "the plan to establish a nuclear reactor has encountered difficulties from the very beginning due to its financial cost. Obtaining investment in this field from advanced nations is even more difficult. This is because the return on investment needs a long period of time. Besides, most governments that go for nuclear power pay at least 50% of the cost of constructing power plants, which Jordan cannot afford."