File Photo: Egypt’s first nuclear project, Al-Dabaa (NPP), is built on an area of 12,000 feddans. Photo: Egyptian Nuclear Power Plant Authority
Speaking to Russian news agency TASS, the chief of Rosatom, the Russian nuclear energy company in charge of the project's construction, explained that the project's workforce will expand from 25,000 to 30,000 workers, possibly approaching 40,000 in a year.
In 2015, Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) and Rosatom started work on the Dabaa project in Matrouh governorate in northwestern Egypt. The Dabaa nuclear power plant is the first of its kind in Egypt.
Upon completion, the plant will produce up to 37 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, providing approximately 10 percent of Egypt's energy consumption.
Likhachev added that the project has the potential to double its capacity.
"This is the largest construction project in Africa and unquestionably an unprecedented nuclear initiative," he said.
In addition, Rosatom chief noted that Egyptian construction companies, which he hoped would be Rosatom's partners in future projects elsewhere, did most of the general construction and concrete work.
He highlighted that Rosatom plans to install the reactor vessel in November.
"I believe that in November, in time for Egypt's Nuclear Industry Workers' Day, we will begin this very important and significant procedure," Likhachev said, adding that installing the reactor vessel would turn the project from a construction site to an operational nuclear facility.
He also confirmed that the construction of the project's four power units, each with a capacity of 1,200 MW, is progressing as planned.
Likhachev added that the four units are equipped with VVER-1200 water-water reactors, whose advanced Generation III+ design meets the highest international safety standards.
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