Today a successful cooperation project with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to enhance radiation safety and the safe management of radioactive waste is completed with the final project meeting. This project, financed with €1.8 million by the European Union’s Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC), gave valuable support to three Jordan institutions, the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC), the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) and the Ministry of Environment of Jordan (MOENV).

One major topic in the project was the licensing of SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East), a “third-generation” synchrotron light source. In the project, senior European experts shared their experience on the technical aspects and the safety features of the SESAME synchrotron, and thus supported EMRC in the ongoing licensing process for the SESAME. Once the review, assessment and inspection activities for the license application are fulfilled, the license for permanent operation will be granted, which will help to further scientific cooperation in the region.

The EU Delegation in Jordan, complemented the overall EU support to SESAME by providing a 7 Megawatt solar system for electricity supply to the SESAME facilities under the EU support programme to green energy in Jordan. The facility that was inaugurated in February 2019, sets SESAME as the first synchrotron in the region powered by solar energy.

Read more

Press release

EU Delegation to Jordan – website and Facebook page