Rolls-Royce to prepare feasibility study on small reactor

AMMAN — The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) and Rolls-Royce on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct a technical feasibility study for the construction of a Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR) in Jordan, the two sides announced.

The suggested reactor would have a 440MW capacity and would be used to desalinate seawater and generate electricity. 

The signing took place at the British embassy in Paris, between Alan Woods, Strategy and Business Development director, Rolls-Royce, and Kamal Araj, JAEC’s vice chairman, according to Rolls-Royce media centre and a JAEC statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Saturday.

They highlighted the growing international interest in small modular nuclear technology.

Harry Holt, president — Nuclear, Rolls-Royce, said in a statement: “We’re pleased to work with JAEC to look at the benefits that SMRs could deliver to Jordan.”

“With demand for global energy set to rise due to new technologies, such as electric cars and increasing requirements for water desalination and district cooling, international interest in Rolls-Royce small modular reactor technology is growing. It represents an important British export opportunity,” Holt was quoted as saying.

JAEC Chairman Khaled Toukan said, as quoted in the company’s press release: “SMRs offer unique opportunities to address many of the challenges confronting Jordan, in particular water scarcity and small grid size, through the introduction of nuclear energy in the country as part of the energy mix.”

The two organisations will work together to define the technical, safety, economic and financial requirements for constructing a Rolls-Royce SMR power station in Jordan for electricity generation and water desalination. 

The outcome of the feasibility study will be used to inform an investment decision by JAEC to move forward to project delivery phase.

JAEC was established in 2008 to carry out a national strategy for nuclear energy to address the increasing public demand for energy, limited local energy sources and the high prices of fossil fuels on the international market.   

Jordan has already signed an agreement with Russia on worth $10 billion to build the Kingdom’s first nuclear power plant with a total capacity of 2,000 megawatt.

Rolls-Royce is a consortium of British companies to design a small modular reactor power station to deliver low cost, low carbon energy to help the UK meets its carbon commitments.