Egyptian Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker stated that the construction of the Dabaa nuclear power plant is witnessing positive dynamic developments. During his visit to the Dabaa site with Alexey Likhachov, General Director of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), Shaker noted that the approach to the Egyptian nuclear dream is fully supported by the Egyptian political leadership, and regardless of the challenges ahead, the professional Egyptian-Russian team is capable of addressing them effectively and successfully.
Likhachov emphasized that the Egyptian and Russian teams are working as one entity, setting ambitious goals and making every effort to achieve them. He pointed out that the Egyptian-Russian team managed to deliver all necessary licensing documents to the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority by the end of June to obtain construction permits for the first and second units of the Dabaa nuclear power plant.
Amjad Al-Wakil, Chairman of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority, remarked that the establishment of the Dabaa nuclear power plant provides a boost to the country's continued economic development, helps achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of Egypt 2030, and serves as an incentive to enhance Egypt's industrial and tourism capabilities, particularly in Matrouh Governorate.
Dr. Alexander Lokshin, Deputy CEO of Rosatom for Operations, described the visit as fruitful and effective, noting that the Russian delegation was able to coordinate with Egyptian partners and outline the next steps toward accomplishing the identified future tasks.
The delegation inspected the construction site of the marine berth at Dabaa, which is under construction by the owner and is planned for use in transporting heavy equipment for the plant. They also examined the locations for the construction of the nuclear units at the site, where attendees were briefed on the construction status and future implementation plans for the project.
They later visited the residential city for the Russian experts working on-site, inspecting one of the temporary housing units as a model, as well as the sports center, school, and kindergarten, which are part of the service buildings providing necessary living requirements for the Russian experts and project workers. Rosatom leaders evaluated the readiness of the social infrastructure and spoke with Russian citizens residing in the residential city.
It is noteworthy that the Dabaa nuclear power plant will be Egypt's first nuclear power plant, comprising four reactor units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, using advanced third-generation pressurized water reactors, the latest in modern nuclear technology.
Currently, there are four nuclear units in Russia equipped with this generation of reactors, with two units in "Novovoronezh" and two in "Leningrad," while outside of Russia, one unit with a third-generation reactor is operating in the Belarusian nuclear power plant, which was connected to the country's unified power grid in November 2020.
The construction of the nuclear power plants is being implemented under a set of contracts that came into effect on December 11, 2017. According to the contractual obligations, the Russian side's role will not be limited to constructing the plant, as it will also supply nuclear fuel throughout the operating lifespan of the Dabaa nuclear power plant, arrange training programs for Egyptian personnel, and provide support for the operation and maintenance of the plant during the first ten years of its operation. Furthermore, the Russian side will establish a facility for the storage of spent nuclear fuel.
