Egypt sets Nov. 19 as first anniversary for nuclear energy launch

CAIRO – 13 November 2021: The Nuclear Power Plants Authority announced November 19 will be the first annual anniversary of the Egyptian nuclear energy, marking the signing of contracts for the construction of El-Dabaa nuclear plant.

In 2015, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and the Russian President Vladimir Putin witnessed the signing of the construction of El-Dabaa nuclear plant between Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and the Russian company Rosatom.

Dr. Amjad El-Wakeel, head of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority, stated that November 19 represents “a historic day in the lives of Egyptians.”

He added that one of the most important features of the El-Dabaa nuclear plant is the Russian company Rosatom's reliance on the highest safety standards used in this type of reactor, in addition to that it is considered the highest safety and newest in the world.

Al-Wakeel indicated that Egypt does not accept any political or other conditions for the establishment of the nuclear plant, explaining that the Nuclear Power Plants Authority is the owner and operator of the Dabaa nuclear plant, in addition to relying on a percentage of the components of the nuclear plant locally, which will develop the local nuclear industry in Egypt.

The Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces, represented by the consultants specialized in the construction of piers, is the authority that supervises the construction and implementation of the pier, explaining that the authority is racing against time to complete the construction and implementation operations.

Al-Wakeel continued that it is expected that a construction permit for the Dabaa site will be issued in July 2022, noting that a construction permit was submitted on March 10, 2019 to start the construction of the Dabaa nuclear power plant with a capacity of 4800 megawatts, stressing that the Nuclear and Radiological Control Authority is the competent authority to issue a construction approval permit to start laying the concrete bases for the first reactor with a capacity of 1200 megawatts next June.