Russia formalises deal to build Egypt's first reactors

Russia and Egypt yesterday signed an intergovernmental agreement to collaborate in the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant equipped with four 1200 MWe units in Dabaa. The agreement was signed yesterday in Cairo by Mohamed Shaker, Egypt's energy minister, and Sergey Kirienko, director general of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom.

Russia and Egypt yesterday signed an intergovernmental agreement to collaborate in the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant equipped with four 1200 MWe units in Dabaa. The agreement was signed yesterday in Cairo by Mohamed Shaker, Egypt's energy minister, and Sergey Kirienko, director general of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The signing ceremony was attended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

In addition, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Russian and Egyptian regulators "in order to facilitate further development of the nuclear infrastructure" required for the project, Rosatom said.

Sergei Kirienko and Mohamed Shaker sign the deal (Image: Rosatom)

The documents specified matters including nuclear fuel supply for the planned reactors, as well as responsibilities concerning their operation, maintenance and repair. The intergovernmental agreement also addresses questions concerning the management of used nuclear fuel, personnel training, and support to Egypt in its development of nuclear standards and regulations.

Kirienko said the project will be the largest joint project between Russia and Egypt since the Aswan dam project. "This is a genuinely new chapter in the history of Russian-Egyptian intergovernmental relations," he said. Having the planned nuclear power plant will make Egypt the region's "technological leader" as the only country there with 'Generation III+' nuclear power technology, he said.

Russia and Egypt first signalled their intention to cooperate in the project to build a nuclear power plant with a desalination facility in February, with the signing of agreement by Rosatom subsidiary Rusatom Overseas and Egypt's Nuclear Power Plant Authority.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News