Egypt to mark installation of reactor pressure vessel for El Dabaa Nuclear Plant's second unit

CAIRO – 9 July 2026: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly is set to attend on Thursday a ceremony marking the installation of the reactor pressure vessel for the second unit of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in the Mediterranean city of El Dabaa.

Located in Egypt's northwestern Matrouh governorate, El Dabaa is the country's first nuclear power plant.

The project is being built by Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) and will be operated by Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA).

The plant will comprise four Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors with a combined generating capacity of 4.8 gigawatts, making it a key pillar of Egypt's strategy to diversify its energy mix and expand clean electricity generation.

The reactor pressure vessel is one of the most critical components of a nuclear power plant. It houses the nuclear fuel and coolant and serves as a primary safety barrier, engineered to withstand extreme temperatures, high pressure, and demanding operating conditions.

In November 2025, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin participated via video conference in a ceremony celebrating the installation of the reactor pressure vessel for the plant's first unit.

The El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is the largest joint Egyptian-Russian project since the construction of the Aswan High Dam, underscoring the growing strategic partnership between the two countries, particularly in the energy sector.