The 5 MW t reactor is located in the far north of the country (Ar Ramtha) and is a joint project of Jordan with the Daewoo Engineering South Korea. The reactor is intended for nuclear industry research, the production of radioactive isotopes for industrial applications, medical research and diagnostics, as well as for the training of personnel in nuclear activities. The latter function will be critical, since Jordan is building nuclear facilities on a full scale to produce electricity. The cost of the reactor is about $ 160 million.
For those involved in the field, the reactor’s director is Dr Samer Kahook and is also the commissioner responsible for the fuel cycle at the Jordanian Atomic Energy Commission. The fuel cycle is the most sensitive issue with regard to Jordan’s nuclear ambitions.
Note: Dr. Samer Kahook
Dr. Samer Dakhlallah Kahook was born on August 22nd, 1961 in El-Bireh, West Bank, Jordan.
In December 1984, he received his bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from University of Florida, where he continued his education and obtained a master’s degree in nuclear engineering in December 1986. In January 1987 he joined the Innovative Nuclear Power and Propulsion Institute.
In May 1991, Samer Kahook received a Doctorate Degree in Nuclear Engineering from University of Florida.
In 1991 he joined the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina working in accident and safety analysis for the restart of the K-Reactor. Dr. Kahook remained at the Savannah River Site until August 2010 where he served in a number of progressive positions in the fields of nuclear criticality safety, radiological engineering, safeguards of nuclear material, passive and active nuclear measurements, spent nuclear fuel management, and radioactive waste management.
During the time period of October 2010 through December 2011, he worked as a nuclear safety consultant.
In January 2012, he joined the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission and has been serving as its Commissioner for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle to this date. He has also served as the CEO of the Jordanian Uranium Mining Company since its inception in January 2013 and through January 2017, a company wholly owned by the Government of Jordan. During January 2017, Dr. Kahook became the manager of the Jordan Research & Training Reactor.
