Rosatom provides Egypt with 1st reactor protection system in 2020

CAIRO - 3 February 2018: Russian nuclear firm Rosatom announced that the first protection system for reactors, which is planned to be installed in the nuclear plant of Dabaa, will arrive in Egypt in 2020, according to a press release by Rosatom.

The protection system, developed by the Russian company, is designed to shut down the reactor in case of a release of radioactive materials.

“Trap is a cone-shaped housing mounted on the bottom of the reactor pit. It is filled with special materials that in case of emergency mixed with a melt of the active zone and ensure its even distribution in the body of the trap. The device can hold the melt an unlimited amount of time, not allowing radioactive substances to be released into the environment,” the statement added.

During a press conference between the Egyptian and Russian leaders in late December 2017, Putin and Sisi witnessed the signing of the Dabaa nuclear power plant contracts between the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy and Roastom.

The contracts cover designing and constructing the plant, supplying nuclear fuel, consulting services for operation and maintenance, and fuel recycling.

The plant includes four third-generation reactors with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW) each, for a total of 4,800 megawatts. The plant will be built on approximately 12,000 feddans and is expected to create over 50,000 job opportunities.

A preliminary agreement was signed by Egypt and Russia in November 2015 to build a nuclear power plant in Dabaa, along with a $25 billion loan to cover 85 percent of the plant, with Egypt funding the remaining 15 percent. Local funding for the first two reactors will be 20% and 25% respectively, and will gradually increase to 35% for the other two reactors.