Nearly 29,000 tonnes of proven and exploitable uranium reserves lie beneath the ground in Algeria, its energy and mines minister Chakib Khelil said Thursday.

"Such quantities would enable the operation of just two nuclear power plants, each with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, for a period of 60 years," said Khelil at a domestic energy conference, the APS news agency reported.

Last month and again this month, Algeria issued a call for expressions of interest for the sale by auction of nine uranium sites, all in the Tamanrasset region in Algeria's deep south.

Algeria has two experimental reactors, built with Argentinian and Chinese cooperation, with a total output of 18 megawatts.

It plans to have its first full-scale nuclear power station up and running in 2020, with additional stations to open yearly afterwards.

Khelil also said Thursday that Algeria has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its intention to sign the additional protocol of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty

The protocol allows IAEA monitors greater and easier access to nuclear facilities.