El Dabaa nuclear power plant (NPP) project, is a first of its kind in Egypt, planned for development in Matrouh Governorate on the Mediterranean coast, approximately 250km west of Alexandria. It is being developed by the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) under a civil nuclear cooperation agreement signed between the governments of Russia and Egypt in 2015.
The project includes the construction of a 4.8GW nuclear power plant comprising four VVER-1200 nuclear reactors of AES-2206 design that are capable of producing 1.2GW each.
VVER-1200 is a third-generation pressurized water reactor, which is fully compliant with all international safety and post-Fukushima IAEA requirements. It is reportedly designed to withstand the crash of a 400-t aeroplane or earthquakes up to an intensity of 9 on the Richter scale.
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Each of the four generating units of the plant will also be equipped with Arabelle half-speed steam turbines and Gigatop 4-pole hydrogen and water-cooled generators. The first unit is expected to begin commercial operations in 2026 while the commissioning of the remaining three reactors is scheduled for 2028.
The total cost of the project is approximately US$ 30bn, 85% of which will be provided by the government of Russia and the remaining by its Egyptian counterpart through private investors.
Current status
Recent reports in September 2024 indicate that according to Rosatom’s Director General Alexey Likhachev, around 30% of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Project Timeline
1983-2007
The El Dabaa nuclear power plant project is part of Egypt’s nuclear program, which commenced in 1954. The El Dabaa site was selected for the project in 1983 and the decision for the construction of the plant was announced in October 2007.
2010
The El Dabaa site was approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in August 2010, but the development was halted in 2011 due to the Egyptian revolution and disputes with Dabaa locals.
Nov 2014
KEPCO to build a nuclear power plant in Egypt
Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) has announced that South Korea has signed an MOU with Arab Contractors, the number one builders in Egypt’s construction industry, for the exporting of a Korean nuclear power plant to Egypt.
The Egyptian government plans to give public notice of an international bid for building a second new nuclear power plant at El-Dabaa in early 2015. The MOU with the Arab Contractors, therefore, gives KEPCO a competitive advantage over other nations in the Egyptian nuclear plant market.
Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, and Daelin Building were in Cairo at an event dubbed “Korean Nuclear Industry Roadshow” organized by KEPCO on November 5th and 6th. The event was aimed at promoting Korean nuclear power plants in Egypt.
“Based on the excellent capacity of the Korean nuclear power plant business, we will satisfy major Egyptian workforce and localization to successfully adopt the first nuclear plant,” said Lee Hee-Yong, chief of KEPCO nuclear plant export division.
The country has recently entered a US$350 million deal with Saudi Arabia for the latter to upgrade the former’s power grid and secure imports of petroleum products.
2015
Feb 2015
Egypt to build a nuclear power plant in partnership with Russia
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have agreed to cooperate to build a nuclear power plant in Egypt. The partnership deal was signed during an official visit by President Vladimir Putin to Egypt.
The move for a nuclear power plant project is expected to strengthen economic ties between the two countries and cater to electricity necessities in the country. Due to Russia’s knowledge of nuclear energy, it is expected that will donate nuclear staff and scientific research to Egypt.
Egypt is exploring alternative sources of energy. Last year, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) announced that South Korea had signed an MOU with Arab Contractors for the exportation of a Korean nuclear power plant to Egypt.
Under Ehud Mubarak, Egypt announced a decision to build four nuclear reactors by 2025 with a generation capacity of 4,000MW based in the northern city of El-Dabaa.
Putin stressed the importance of ending the Syrian conflict while Sisi indicated the importance of ending the Palestinian-Israeli problem. “We look forward … to the next round of such talks, which ultimately I hope will lead to a peaceful settlement of the situation in Syria,” Putin said.
In February an agreement was signed between Rosatom and Egypt for discussions on the prospective project involving the construction of two 1200 MWe nuclear power units, with the prospect of two more. Rusatom Overseas and the Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) also signed a project development agreement for a two-unit AES-2006 nuclear power plant with a desalination facility.
In June, Rosatom submitted a bid to build four 1200 MWe reactors at El Dabaa. In November, an intergovernmental agreement was signed with Russia to build and operate the four reactors, including fuel supply, used fuel, training, and development of regulatory infrastructure.
A financing agreement for a Russian state export loan was also signed in June, covering 80% of the total cost of the project, with a repayment period of over 22 years starting from 2029.
September 2015
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is set to help in the construction of the Dabaa Nuclear Power plant in Egypt, the agency’s Director Yukiya Amano has announced. The move comes after Amano discussed the construction of the project with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.
According to the statement released by Al-Sisi, the company is willing to cooperate with Egypt in the project and they expressed their interest.
Amano expressed his willingness to send a delegation from the agency to Cairo in order to assist Egypt in placing the regulatory framework needed for the establishment of the nuclear power plant, set to be located in Dabaa.
He added that the project is capable of being completed on time and they are keen to provide Egypt with all sorts of Technical support for using nuclear power and generating electricity that is sufficient for the country.
Al-Sisi affirmed the country’s interest in cooperating with the agency so that they can benefit from their awesome skills that will help his country’s economic empowerment.
Al-Sisi’s further construction of the Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt is aimed at diversifying the country’s energy sources. He also indicated that the application of the plant is expected to be compliant with the international standards of nuclear safety and security.
October 2015
The long-awaited plans for the construction of the Dabaa Nuclear power plant in Egypt have finally taken shape as officials from Egypt and Russia got into final talks on the way forward.
According to reports from the Egyptian Authority, the Russian state-owned Rosatom has reached the final stages of negotiating the construction of Egypt’s Dabaa nuclear power plant contract.
According to a statement from Rosatom vice-president Anton Moskvin, the project is set to kick off as what they had in discussion has been already tackled.
Earlier on when Russia got into an agreement with Egypt it was expected that all agreement signing would be done by the end of this year so that the construction of the nuclear plant would end by 2020.
The plant will be constructed in two phases according to Anton Moskvin and the Russian side company will construct four reactors while the other four reactors will be offered for an international tender.
Each reactor will produce 1,200 Megawatt of electricity. The construction works are scheduled to start in mid-2016.
In February, Sisi and Putin announced reaching agreements on building the plant and establishing a Russian-Egyptian free trade zone.
In 1981, Egypt allocated the Dabaa area in the Mediterranean governorate of Matrouh, 183.9 miles to the northwest of Cairo, to build its first nuclear plant of 55 square kilometres.
The project is expected to boost the power production of the country since currently there is a power shortage.
Although mooted a couple of years ago, the construction of the Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt has been delayed partly due to the civil unrest that engulfed the country.
November 2015
Egypt will get the first electricity supply from the Dabaa nuclear power plant in 2024, the country’s prime minister Sherif Ismail has announced.
He said that the plant will run under acceptable environmental safety standards. He added that Dabaa residents will be relocated.
The announcement comes following an agreement that was signed in November between Russia’s state-owned nuclear firm Rosatom and Egypt on 19 November.
The agreement was for the collaboration in the construction and operation of the nuclear power plant equipped with four NPP units at a capacity of 1200 MW each
Sisi approves construction of the first nuclear plant in Egypt
The much-anticipated construction of the first nuclear plant in Egypt will now kick off after President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi signed off on commencing work on the country’s first nuclear reactor in Dabaa, west of Alexandria. The project which is expected to be a power booster for Egypt is one of the biggest projects that have commenced in Sisi’s regime.
Last week President Sisi met with the CEO of the Russian-owned Rosatom State Atomic Energy, Sergei Kiriyenko, to discuss the financial and technical requirements to construct the nuclear plant. According to the reports from the president’s office, the project will now commence as per the agreement.
“Both the ministers of electricity and finance vouched for the benefits of the Russian nuclear power plant,” said a statement released by Egypt’s Presidency.
Plans for Russia to construct the nuclear plant were first announced at Al-Qubba Presidential Palace during a visit of Russian President Putin to Egypt in February 2015. Construction of the first nuclear plant in Egypt has witnessed delays for several reasons key among them was whether Dabaa is the best place for its construction. There were widespread protests by the people in the area fearing the health effects of the project.
Egypt then consulted an Australian company over the suitability of Dabaa for the construction of the nuclear project.
Construction of the nuclear plant is scheduled to commence in 2016 and will be completed by 2020. The Russian company will build four reactors, while another four are currently up for an international tender. The nuclear plant is expected to produce 9,600 megawatts of electricity for Egypt.
Egypt has for a while now facing power shortage problems and the government of Egypt is hoping to tackle the problem by initiating more power projects so that the country can have a sufficient power supply.
The nuclear plant project is one of many power projects initiated including solar plant power that is currently being worked on.
The construction of a nuclear power plant in Egypt was first mooted 60 years ago but has been marred with delays proponents of the plant say they hope this time things will go as planned.
January 2016
Russia’s national nuclear corporation Rosatom will commence the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Egypt after signing an agreement. In the contract signed, the construction of the power plant in Egypt will begin in early 2016.
According to the press release given by the company, the construction of the nuclear power plant will commence in the first quarter of 2016.
“The plan will be actualized after the contract for the construction of the power plant is signed and this will be a great achievement to Egypt as the construction will be the first-ever done by Russia in Egypt,” the release said
In early November 2015, Russia and Egypt signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of a nuclear power station in El Dabaa in the Arab Republic of Egypt to be equipped with four 1,200 MW reactors.
The project that was agreed on will cost $25 billion and outline the parameters of the Egyptian nuclear power plant to be built with the use of Russian technologies and further steps to develop nuclear infrastructure in Egypt.
It also provides for the NPP’s supply of nuclear fuel, commitments of operation, technical maintenance, and repairs of the power units.
The document prescribes how to handle spent nuclear fuel; train the nuclear power plant’s personnel; and help Egypt improve its rules and regulations in the nuclear power industry and nuclear infrastructure. Moscow and Cairo also signed an agreement for granting a state export credit for the NPP’s construction.
The nuclear power station is expected to be built near the city of El Alamein on Egypt’s northern coast, 3.5 kilometres away from the Mediterranean Sea. Rosatom planned to launch a survey in December 2015.
Russia and Egypt signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of a nuclear power station in El Dabaa in the Arab Republic of Egypt to be equipped with four 1,200 MW reactors.
Dec 2015
Russia offers loan for nuclear power plant construction in Egypt
Russia has agreed to fund the first-ever nuclear power plant in Egypt by extending a loan of $25b towards the construction of the plant.
The nuclear power plant in Egypt is being constructed by Rosatom Russia’s state-owned company. This will be one of the largest projects being funded by Russia. Upon completion, the construction project is expected to help meet the country’s increasing energy demand.
The loan comes as part of the agreement reached by the two countries earlier this year. It will cover 85 percent of the costs and Egypt will have to provide the remaining 15 percent. The two countries agreed to build a modern nuclear power plant in Dabaa which is about 140 kilometres south of Cairo and once completed it will be one of the largest projects that have been agreed upon by Russia and Egypt.
The project will comprise four 1200 MW nuclear power generators that will be installed by a few local companies to attain the local stake agreement.
According to the agreement, Russia will provide the loan in instalments from 2016 to 2018, while Egypt will have to repay over a 22-year period. The first repayment is scheduled for 2029, at an annual interest rate of three per cent.
Russia being a country with good experience in nuclear power production it will produce experts who will supervise and undertake the project. Russian President Vladimir Putin early this year visited Egypt and agreed to contribute to the construction of the project.
The two countries have signed a number of agreements along with the memorandum of understanding on nuclear plant construction.
May 2016
Russia extends $25b loan for construction of Egypt’s nuclear power plant
The construction of Egypt’s nuclear power plant has received a shot in the arm after Russia extended a US$ 25 Billion loan towards the construction of the nuclear plant. The move essentially makes Russia a major sponsor of the nuclear power project.
President Fattah el-Sisi said that the project will remain Key to the country as they look forward to curbing the current power shortage facing the country. Egypt, which will cover the other 15 per cent, is to repay the loan over a 22-year period, starting in 2029, with a 3 per cent annual interest rate.
Egypt and Russia agreed in February 2015 to build the plant together and signed a memorandum of understanding on the project. But the relations between the two nations were badly impacted after the horrific Russian passenger plane crash in Sinai last October when all 224 people on board were killed.
The plant is being constructed in Dabaa, a site in the north of the country that Egypt has been considering for a nuclear power plant on and off since the 1980s. It is due to be completed in 20022, and the first of its four reactors is expected to begin producing power in 2024.
Egypt, with a population of 90 million and vast energy requirements, is seeking to diversify its energy sources. As well as a nuclear plant, Sisi has talked of building solar and wind energy facilities in the coming three years to generate around 4,300 megawatts of power.
The country also recently discovered a large reserve of natural gas off the Mediterranean coast. The project will be carried out by both Russian state-owned common corporations with local contractors who will be given the stake.
May 2016
Final contract for Dabaa Nuclear Plant set to be concluded in June
Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called for a quick signing of the Dabaa nuclear contract in an effort to curb the power shortage facing the country.
Speaking while meeting officials from the Ministry of Electricity led by Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker, Sisi said that he will ensure a quick implementation of the energy project.
After the major meeting, the electricity minister shared the outcome of their recent visit to Russia (see below) and said they have agreed with Russian nuclear firm Rosatom to discuss the establishment of the Dabaa nuclear contract.
In efforts to curb the current power shortage facing Egypt a delegation led by Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker is in Russia to conclude the talks over the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant.
According to the official government reports the team is expected to hold final talks in Moscow in the next few days to set a date for the signing of contracts over the construction of a Russian-built nuclear power station in Dabaa, north Egypt.
The project which has already got enough funding is expected to start at any time as the project has been in talks and headlines in various tabloids.
Shaker is in Moscow to settle all issues between the two sides before the contracts can be signed. Details of the construction, maintenance, and operation of the station, as well as the fuel required to power it, are being covered, Al-Masry Al-Youm was informed.
Sources from the Nuclear Power Plants Authority, participating in the International Forum ATOMEXPO 2016 in Moscow that runs from May 30 to June 1, revealed that the legal and technical matters that caused the delay in signing the contract have now been settled. An Italian consultancy firm revised the contract terms, they added.
A delegation including the heads of the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, nuclear stations, and Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority is currently on a one-week visit to Moscow to meet officials of Rosatom.
Speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Rosatom General Director Sergei Kiriyenko said that in order for the agreement with Egypt to be finalized, numerous matters have had to be covered, such as the nuclear fuel supply to the reactors, the role of both sides during the operation, maintenance, and repair of reactors, methods of treating nuclear waste, training the plant’s workers and the improvement of standards and legislation within Egypt’s nuclear energy and nuclear infrastructure sectors.
Ongoing negotiations
He also added that they are currently in negotiations with other contractors on how the major power plant will be constructed.
Egypt has considered building a nuclear power station in Dabaa for several decades, and has been in negotiations with Rosatom since 2015 over plans for the state-owned firm to fund and construct a plant in Egypt for completion by 2022, Reuters reported in November last year.
Shaker had travelled to Russia to meet key leaders and ensure that the project is fast enough and his office confirmed that they would be able to confirm all firms that have been involved in the same.
Nuclear power plant construction has been hitting the headlines as the country looks forward to curbing the current power shortage that is facing it.
The project is expected to be constructed in three years and Russia will fund the whole project with assistance from the state-owned contractor.
Sources from the Nuclear Power Plants Authority, who attended the International Forum ATOMEXPO 2016 in Moscow from May 30 to June 1, revealed that the legal and technical matters that caused the delay in signing the contract had been settled.
2017
In December notices to proceed with contracts for the construction of the four units were signed.
April 2019
Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) has received a permit for site approval for the El Dabaa site from the Egyptian Nuclear Regulation and Radiological Authority (ENRRA). The permit endorses that the site and its specific conditions comply with national and international requirements.
The NPPA said that the site approval permit marked the achievement of the first major milestone in the licensing process for the El Dabaa plant and the Issuance of the Site Approval Permit is an acknowledgement that the El Dabaa site and its specific conditions comply with the national and IAEA requirements for NPP [nuclear power plant] sites and that site-specific conditions must be appropriately considered in the design of the NPP to ensure the future safe and reliable operation of the nuclear installations.
Demand for electricity
“The approval was issued in early March following a detailed comprehensive review” by ENRRA of the application documents submitted by the NPPA in 2017. These included: data about the reactor installation; site data and characteristics; design basis and concept; and a project Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report reviewed by the Environmental Affairs Agency,” stated the authority.
The authority further added that this assistance was provided within the framework of the Site and External Events Design (SEED) review mission held in late January 2019. Specific attention during the review process was paid to safety-related site characteristics and external natural and human hazards, including earthquakes, Tsunamis, and human-induced external events.
Water reactors
According to Rosatom, Four Russian-designed VVER-1200 pressurized water reactors are planned for El Dabaa, which is on the Mediterranean coast, 170 kilometres west of Alexandria and Zafraana on the Gulf of Suez.
Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom is to develop the plant, which will be owned and operated by the NPPA. With a nameplate capacity of 4.8 GWe, the plant is expected to account for up to 50% of Egypt’s power generation capacity to meet the country’s increasing demand for electricity.
October 2019
US $190m has been allocated by the Russian government for the establishment of the Dabaa nuclear power plant project in Egypt. Deputy Chairman of the Nuclear Energy Authority Abdel Hamid el-Desoky made the announcement and said that an alliance has been formed between Egypt and Russia to develop some part of the project.
He further added that a feasibility study is being conducted to manufacture parts of the nuclear reactors in Egypt, and pointed out that the domestic manufacturing of nuclear energy will be expanded to reach 35% upon receiving four reactors in 2029.
April 2020
El-Debaa nuclear power plant in Egypt will receive a reliable supply of fuel once it is built following the announcement that Russia will supply nuclear fuel components including uranium and aluminium items to Egypt for a period of 10 years, following an agreement signed between the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority and Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP), a subsidiary of Russia’s Rosatom TVEL.
“The business development expectations in Egypt include the supply of nuclear fuel to all four power units of the planned 4,800MW El-Debaa nuclear power plant for its entire operation period,” says Rosatom TVEL in a statement.
The fuel components will mainly be used in Egypt’s ETTR-2 research reactor, located at a nuclear research facility in Inshas, Egypt’s Sharqiya governorate. ETTR-2 focuses on the research of particle physics and material studies, as well as the production of radioisotopes’
Oleg Grigoriyev, the senior vice-president for commerce and international business at Rosatom TVEL said that the long-term contract is a follow-up to a number of contractual documents for shipments of fuel components to Egypt which were successfully fulfilled by NCCP in the past three years.
2021
In February representatives from the Russian and Egyptian governments reported that the Covid-19 pandemic had slowed preparations at the site.
In July it was announced that the NPPA had submitted all the necessary documents to ENRRA (National Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority) to obtain the construction permits for units 1 and 2 at the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant.
A high-level Egyptian-Russian delegation led by Mohamed Shaker and Alexey Likhachov, the Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt and Rosatom Director General respectively, paid a working visit to the construction site of the proposed El Dabaa nuclear power plant.
Training of the first group of specialists began in early September 2021 at the St. Petersburg branch of Rosatom’s Technical Academy, Russia.
The training program is being carried out in the framework of contracts pertaining to the construction of a nuclear power plant that upon completion would be the North African country’s first of its kind.
It will begin with a six-month Russian language course that will have an enrollment of 465 Egyptian students, after which the trainees will start their theoretical training course on the basis of a reference Rosatom nuclear power plant and will undergo practical training and internships at Leningrad NPP-2 and at other workplaces.
The State Atomiс Energy Corporation will train approximately 1,700 specialists in the framework of this program by the year 2028. The program will take place at both the Rosatom Technical Academy in Russia and the Nuclear Power Plant Training Centre in Egypt.
July 2021
The Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) in Egypt has submitted all the necessary documents to ENRRA (National Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority) to obtain the construction permits for units 1 and 2 at the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant.
The information was disclosed by the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energies. According to Ayman Hamza, the spokesman for the ministry, the building permits are expected to be granted during the first half of next year (2022) and thereafter the procedures for drafting files for units 3 and 4 shall follow.
Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM), whose subsidiary companies will provide the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services, nuclear fuel supply, operation support and maintenance, and nuclear fuel treatment for the power plant, said in a statement that the submission of this application was an important step as the actual construction for the project cannot begin until after a license has been granted.
Delegation visits
Recently, a high-level Egyptian-Russian delegation led by Mohamed Shaker and Alexey Likhachov, the Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt and Rosatom Director General respectively, paid a working visit to the construction site of the proposed El Dabaa nuclear power plant.
This comes barely two weeks after Rosatom’s announcement that the Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) of Egypt had applied to the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority for a construction permit for units 1 and 2 of what will be the North African country’s first nuclear power plant.
Working on the project as a single unit
“The teams are working on the project as a single unit, setting ambitious goals and making every effort to achieve them. Such coordinated work culminated in perhaps the most important event in the current stage of the project,” said Likhachov.
“We have observed the positive dynamics in the implementation of the project. The systematic approach to the Egyptian nuclear dream is taking shape with the full support of the political leadership in the country,” said the Shaker adding that the Egyptian-Russian team of professionals will be able to cope with any challenges they face no matter how complex they are.
Alexander Lokshin, Rosatom’s first deputy director-general and president of JSC ASE said that the visit was “productive and intense” and that “it was possible to check the clock with our Egyptian partners and outline the further steps towards the implementation of the project”.
Inspecting port facilities planned to be used to transport heavy equipment for the reactor units
Along with visiting the El Dabaa nuclear power plant construction site, the delegation also inspected the port facilities that are planned to be used for the transportation of heavy equipment for the reactor units.
The Rosatom officials also assessed the development of the “social infrastructure” necessary to support the project.
December 2021
Egypt signed a contract with Czech ÚJV Rež Research and Development Company to provide technical assistance to the Egyptian supervisory authority in licensing the nuclear plant in El-Dabaa.
“Our services will focus mainly on independent control of documents and services supplied by the Russian side and on support activities for Egyptian supervision in a number of other areas including human resources development, development of integrated regulatory management system, inspection plans during the nuclear plant construction, international missions, development of legislation, evaluation of license documentation,” said the Czech company in a statement.
January 2022
Rosatom selected Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) to be the sole bidder for several major contracts including the construction of the main and auxiliary buildings and structures of the “turbine islands” for all four reactors, as well as the supply of unspecified materials and equipment.
Construction of 1st Power Unit to Begin in July 2022
The construction of the first unit of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant (NPP) in Egypt is expected to begin in July 2022, according to Alexey Likhachev, the Director-General of Russia’s Rosatom State Atomiс Energy Corporation (ROSATOM).
This comes a few days after the Russian State Corporation which specializes in nuclear energy, nuclear non-energy goods, and high-tech products announced that it had handed over documents for El Dabaa Units 3 and 4 to the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA).
“The package of documents was submitted ahead of schedule, and, as soon as the permission is obtained, the parties involved can begin full-scale construction of the nuclear facility,” said ROSATOM in a statement.
According to previous reports this unit, which is one of the four units planned for the facility, is expected to begin commercial operations in 2026.
Features of the first unit of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant
Capable of producing 1.2GW, the first unit of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant like the other three units will be equipped with a VVER-1200 nuclear reactor of AES-2206 design.
This reactor is a third-generation pressurized water reactor that is fully compliant with all international safety and post-Fukushima IAEA requirements. It is reportedly designed to withstand the crash of a 400-t aeroplane or earthquakes up to an intensity of 9 on the Richter scale.
The unit will also be equipped with Arabelle half-speed steam turbines, and Gigatop 4-pole hydrogen and water-cooled generators.
Commitment to the construction of the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt
The construction of the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt has received commitments from Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority, a public economic authority affiliated with the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, and Rosatom, a Russian state corporation. This is according to Amjad Al-Wakeel, head of Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority.
This comes barely a month after preparation began for the start of work on pouring concrete for the first nuclear reactor of the power plant. Al-Wakeel confirmed that the foundation pit for the unit was ready and explained that they were awaiting a construction permit from the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority in May.
The requests for the construction permit for the first and second units of the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant were submitted on the 29th of last June while the ones for the 3rd and 4th units were submitted on December 31, 2021. All the documents according to the authority were completed in accordance with Article No. (13) of the executive regulations of the law regulating nuclear and radiological activities No. ( 7) for the year 2010.
The head of Egypt Nuclear Power Plants Authority revealed that the first nuclear reactor, with a capacity of 1200 megawatts, will be operational in 2028 generating approximately 1200 MW of electricity. The rest of the reactors, according to Al-Wakeel will be operated successively at full capacity in 2030.
May 2022
Construction Permit Granted for El-Dabaa NPP Unit 1, Egypt
The Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) granted permission for the construction of El-Dabaa NPP Unit 1 to ROSATOM. According to the latter in order to begin construction, this permit and excavation work on the property where necessary.
Alexey Likhachev, director-general of ROSATOM, stated that obtaining the construction permit for Unit 1 was a significant occasion. The permit will prepare the way for the commencement of full-scale construction of the first NPP in Egypt.
El-Dabaa NPP, he continued, will be the continent of Africa’s first nuclear power station of this generation. The country’s technological leadership in the region will be further solidified.
The Egyptian nuclear power plant authority board chairman, Amgad El-Wakeel, on the other hand, declared that they had etched in gold Egypt. He said that the North African country has joined the ranks of countries building NPPs after over 70 years of waiting for the nuclear plant’s dream to come true.
ROSATOM, earlier in June, announced it had started producing electrical parts for the reactor vessel of the plant in Saint Petersburg. The actual construction of the El-Dabaa NPP Unit 1 is scheduled to start in July. This is according to ROSATOM’s CEO, Alexey Likhachev.
Jul 2022
Construction of 1st Reactor at El-Dabaa Nuclear Plant Begins
The construction of the first reactor at the El-Dabaa Nuclear Plant in Egypt has begun. The first safety-related concrete for the nuclear island was recently laid in a ceremony attended by NPPA and Rosatom representatives.
NPPA Chairman Amged El-Wakeel, Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker, and Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachov were among those who attended the ceremony.
The commencement of construction at El-Dabaa NPP Unit 1 marks Egypt’s entry into the nuclear club, according to Likhachov. Egypt will be able to advance its technology, industry, and educational development to a new level thanks to the construction of the nuclear power plant.
Since the Aswan High Dam, the plant will be the largest joint project between Russia and Egypt. For more than 50 years, the Egyptian people have yearned for a nuclear energy industry of their own, and Rosatom is delighted to help them realize their dream.
Sep 2022
El Dabaa NPP: Contract for the provision of buildings & components
A contract has been signed for the provision of buildings and components for the El Dabaa nuclear power plant. KHNP Wins $2.25B Contract for Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plant Project. The agreement was signed by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Atomstroyexport, a subsidiary of Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned nuclear group.
The contract which is worth US$ 2.25b, marks the first nuclear contract for a South Korean company, outside of its own country in 13 years.
Conditions of the agreement
In accordance with the conditions of the contract, KHNP will build the turbine islands for Egypt’s nuclear power plant project. The scope will involve the construction of about 80 buildings and structures as well as the acquisition and supply of equipment.
While Egypt gains the certainty of a qualified nuclear supplier for its largest nuclear project, KHNP is able to increase its global reach. CEO of KHNP, Jooho Whang, said, “KHNP will use its experience from the United Arab Emirates to help the El Dabaa nuclear power plant project be implemented successfully.
According to Boris Arseev, Director for International Business at Rosatom, “Nuclear energy not only plays a significant part in addressing the growing need for power and reaching carbon neutrality, but it also brings nations together.”
He added, “We at Rosatom strongly believe that nuclear cooperation must not end in these uncertain times. Rather, it is crucial to develop and broaden it so that our nations can profit.”
Rosatom to establish 2nd unit in El Dabaa power nuclear plant
The Russian Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation has been given permission by Egyptian authorities to set up a second unit for the El Dabaa nuclear power plant. This was made known in a statement from the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority on Monday.
On January 13, 2019, the authority received a request for a building permit for the first and second units. However, the Nuclear Power Plants Authority concluded its processes by submitting the first safety analysis report for the first and second units from January to June 2021, which took two years to complete.
According to the statement, the authority made a number of inspection visits to the nuclear plant site in Dabaa. In order to assess the level of the site’s readiness to begin building on the second unit.
Necessary inspections to maintain the safety of people to be carried out to establish 2nd unit in the Dabaa nuclear plant
The authority will focus on ensuring that the Nuclear Power Plants Authority complies with the conditions of the permission granted. And the regulatory control of the work of implementing the construction phase and manufacturing equipment. Additionally, it will carry out the necessary inspections to maintain the safety of people and the environment.
According to Amgad al-Wakeel, the president of Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority, the Dabaa nuclear facility will operate at a full 4,800mw capacity by 2030.
Wakeel told the media that the first nuclear reactor, which has a 1,200mw capacity, will be operated to generate electricity. Rosatom is building the Dabaa nuclear plant in accordance with a contract negotiated in November 2015 between Moscow and Cairo.
Additionally, it is the first nuclear power plant in Egyptian history and consists of four 1,200mw power units. Furthermore, it will run the most modern, safest Russian nuclear reactor of the third generation, the VVER-1200.
Nov 2022
Rosatom started building the second reactor at the El-Dabaa nuclear plant in Egypt
According to Rosatom‘s press service, a second reactor is now being built at the El-Dabaa Nuclear Plant in Egypt. This information was provided to RIA Novosti on Saturday.
The four-reactor El-Dabaa plant is situated some 300km northwest of Egypt’s capital, Cairo. Construction on the project started this past July, despite it having been launched back in 2017. The plant’s four planned nuclear reactors should be operating at 4.8 GW of their maximum capacity by 2030.
Remarks on the project to build the second reactor at El-Dabaa nuclear plant in Egypt
Rosatom Director General Aleksey Likhachev said at the ceremony, “The launch of the nuclear plant in Egypt will be crucial for the nation’s socioeconomic and technological development and will accelerate the country’s industry’s and economy’s gradual switch to low-carbon energy sources. For many years to come, it will lay a strong basis for Egypt’s confident and sustainable development.”
Furthermore, he pointed out that the second reactor’s construction is currently moving ahead of schedule. Indicating that the project is gaining momentum.
Likhachev noted, “El-Dabaa will be the first nuclear plant built with Russian technology in Africa, as well as in Egypt. Additionally, it is the biggest Russian-Egyptian collaborative project since the building of the Aswan Dam.”
Along with Rosatom, significant Egyptian contractors are also working on the El-Dabaa plant’s construction. Moscow and Cairo each contribute equal amounts to the initiative. In the guise of a state loan, the Russian government is contributing 85% of the $30 billion price, with Egypt covering the remaining balance.
According to the agreement, Rosatom will provide the nuclear fuel for the plant for the entire 60-year design lifespan. As well as handle maintenance and repairs for ten years following the startup of each reactor.
Feb 2023
Nuclear University in Egypt to prepare the workforce for El Dabaa nuclear power station
Plans are underway for the construction of a Nuclear University in Egypt ahead of the completion of the first El Dabaa nuclear power station. These plans were revealed by the Russian Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, Konstantin Mogilevsky.
This university will be a branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. Its purpose is to prepare the workforce for El Dabaa’s first nuclear power station that is being constructed on the Mediterranean coast.
However, the date of the inauguration was not determined by the Russian official. He added that this would enable the training of the employees to work at the nuclear power station.
According to Mogilevsky, there are plans to launch cooperative educational initiatives. As well as establish representative offices for Russian colleges in a few African nations. However, he withheld the names of the nations.
Remarks on the Proposed Nuclear University in Egypt
Mogilevsky said, “A key decision has been made to launch an MEPhI branch in Egypt, and there is currently a debate taking place. This is connected with the construction of a nuclear power plant.”
Egypt and Russia cooperate in the training of researchers and students on peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Ayman Ashour, Head of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Egypt, spoke with Dmitry Kamanin, the director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia, in September. The discussions, however, centred on how to put a cooperation agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy into effect.
Furthermore, according to Tarek El Molla, minister of Egypt’s petroleum and mineral resources, Egypt will issue three tenders for oil and gas exploration and production projects this year.
He noted, “Egypt plans to hold three international tenders in 2023 for oil and gas exploration and production.
May 2023
1st concrete foundation for El Dabaa NPP’s third reactor to be laid in May
The first concrete foundation for the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP)’s third reactor is set to be laid in May 2023. This is according to Amgad Al-Wakeel, the head of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA).
Al-Wakeel made the revelation recently when he visited the El-Dabaa project site to review the final preparations for this phase of the project. The head of the NPPA was accompanied by a delegation from Russia’s Atomstroyexport Company, the engineering Division of Rosatom.
Also Read: Plans Underway for Construction of Giant $5-8 Billion Green Hydrogen Plant in Egypt
They also visited the El-Dabaa maritime port which is exclusively devoted to receiving equipment necessary for the operation of the plant. According to Al-Wakeel the port which also includes a warehouse for storing the plant’s heavy equipment in line with up-to-date environmental and technical standards received the first shipment last March.
The head of the NPPA affirmed that the plant’s construction works for the year 2023 will go ahead as scheduled, “including laying the concrete foundation for the plant’s fourth and final nuclear reactor.”
Permission to build the third reactor at the El Dabaa site
In early April 2023, Rosatom received permission from Egypt’s nuclear regulator to build the third nuclear reactor at the El Dabaa site. The decision was reportedly made by Samy Shaaban, chair of the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA).
The decision followed an inspection of the proposed site by Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plant Authority. The latter confirmed that the site had “reached the highest standards of nuclear safety and ensured full readiness to begin construction”.
El Dabaa nuclear plant is set to receive the core of its first nuclear reactor
In August 2023 Egypt is prepared to install the core of the first nuclear reactor at the Dabaa nuclear plant on October 6. Ali Abdel Nabi, a former deputy director of Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority, claimed that the concrete construction work in the Dabaa nuclear project did not stop for one second, as it is proceeding on schedule.
Abdel Nabi continued, in a statement, “The first concrete pour for the project’s three nuclear units has been completed. And it is anticipated that the first concrete pour for the project’s fourth nuclear unit would be laid during next November.”
He noted that the reactor core trap for the first nuclear unit in the Dabaa nuclear project will be placed in its proper place underneath the reactor pressure vessel, during upcoming October celebrations. The Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority granted the plant’s site approval permit in March 2019. And the first unit’s construction permit was granted in June 2022.
A melt localisation device – melt trap – is being installed at unit 1
In November 2024 it was reported that a melt localisation device – melt trap – is being installed at unit 1 of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Egypt. The 700-tonne, 6.1-metre diameter melt trap (core catcher), which is a key component of the VVER-1200 reactor passive safety system is being installed by Rosatom.
According to Dr Amged El-Wakil, Board Chairman of Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA), the installation of the melt trap is a “key milestone” in the El-Dabaa project. El-Wakil explained that within 14 months of its implementation, the project achieved five major milestones. These include the laying of the first concrete for Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3 in July 2022, November 2022 and May 2023 respectively.
The melt trap for Unit 1 on the other hand arrived at the project site in March 2023 and the first concrete for Unit 4 is expected to be installed later this year.
