PRESIDENT Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday witnessed the pouring of cement into the foundation of the fourth reactor at the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP)
PRESIDENT Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday witnessed the pouring of cement into the foundation of the fourth reactor at the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).
The event, shown via video conference, marks the end of the preparatory stage and the transition to the main construction phase for all the plant’s four reactors.
“The project stands as a new landmark in the journey of achievements accomplished through the shared Egyptian-Russian collaboration throughout history,” according to Al-Sisi.
“This project underscores the paramount importance the Egyptian state attaches to the energy sector, believing in its vital role as a fundamental driver of economic growth and a cornerstone of economic and social development in line with Egypt Vision 2030,” President Al-Sisi said.
Putin stated that the Dabaa nuclear project “will undoubtedly make a significant contribution to the development of the Egyptian economy and help strengthen its energy base.
“Our interaction is based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and consideration of each other’s interests, in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Strategic Cooperation,” signed in Sochi in 2018, he added.
The first consignment of cement was poured in the foundation of reactor No 1 in July 2022 while in November the procedure was repeated in reactor No 2. In May 2023 the process was accorded the third reactor, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
The Dabaa plant is Egypt’s first nuclear power station and is being constructed by the Russian company Rosatom in the Matrouh governorate on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 300 km northwest of Cairo.
Rosatom is building the plant’s four reactors to generate nuclear energy during the station’s 60-year lifecycle. Additionally, Rosatom will provide training, maintenance and repair services for 10 years after the plant’s completion. It will also set up the first dry storage unit for used nuclear fuel by 2028. Egypt expects the nuclear power station to reach its full capacity by 2030.
The project represents a continuation of the close cooperation between Egypt and Russia in various fields, especially given the historical collaboration between the two countries dating back to the construction of the High Dam, Presidential Spokesman Ahmed Fahmi said.
The construction of the four reactors will be completed by 2028 followed by the operational phase. According to Fahmi, the six-year period is not long given the plant’s size and its contribution to clean, safe, cost-effective, and long-term energy.
Possessing peaceful nuclear technology serves Egypt in electricity production, desalination of seawater and various industrial and agricultural sectors.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 January, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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