HispanicBusiness

An energy official said Wednesday that Jordan had started talks with some foreign firms in a bid to select the technology for its first planned nuclear reactor.

"The commission started talks ... over the past two days and it will select the technology for the nuclear reactor before the end of this year," Khaled Toukan, chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Jordan will later choose a strategic partner to finance the project, Toukan said, adding that the government will have a 30 percent stake in the project.

The final agreement to build the nuclear reactor will be signed in the second half of 2013.

Last year, the commission received technical and financial offers from Atomic Energy of Canada, Russia's Atomstroyexport, as well as a consortium by France's Areva and Japan's Mitsubishi, to build the reactor. According to reports, Amman is now holding talks with the last two.

Jordan, which plans to build several nuclear reactors for power generation, imports about 96 percent of its energy needs annually.

Last month, Jordan's lower house voted in favor of suspending the nuclear program until necessary fund is secured.