The Board of Directors of the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) took a decision at the Board meeting on 30 August 2023 to issue a license for the construction of the fourth unit of the El-Dabaa NPP (general designer and general contractor is Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division).
Sami Shaaban, the head of the Board of Directors of the ENRRA, stressed that the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority closely monitors the process of establishing all the units under construction through a system of rigorous on-site inspections. The ENRRA carried out a comprehensive inspection at the El Dabaa site within the period of 30 July - 02 August 2023, checking the readiness for the commencement of construction of unit 4. Based on the results of the inspection, the safety of the fourth unit of the NPP was verified.
The Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) will continue to closely monitor the efforts of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority of Egypt (NPPA) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the issued permit and regulatory control of the implementation of the stages of construction and manufacturing of equipment, as well as carry out the necessary inspections as part of the role of the ENRRA to ensure the implementation of strict measures associated with safety of the personnel, environment and equipment in the whole territory of Egypt to prevent possible hazards and provide assistance in ensuring safe and peaceful use of nuclear technologies in all the aspects of development.
“The process of construction of El-Dabaa NPP is carried out in full accordance with the schedule. The receipt of the license for the construction of the fourth unit is yet another milestone that we have passed this year due to the concerted joint efforts of the Customer (NPPA) and General Contractor (JSC Atomstroyexport). This is an important step that brings us closer to the key event: the pouring of the first concrete and the start of construction of the fourth power unit of the Egypt's first nuclear power plant. My congratulations to the whole multinational team of the projects on this achievement!” - commented Alexei Kononenko, vice-president of JSC Atomstroyexport and director of the El-Dabaa power plant construction project.
About El Dabaa NPP:
El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is the first Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt, being constructed in the city of El Dabaa in Matrouh Governorate on the shores of the Mediterranean, about 300 km northwest of Cairo. The plant will comprise four Generation III+ VVER-1200 pressurized water reactors (PWRs) with a generating capacity equivalent to 1200 MW per unit. This is the most advanced technology and it has already been successfully implemented and operated. There are currently four such units operating in Russia: two reactors at Novovoronezh NPP and two at Leningrad NPP. Outside of Russia, a VVER-1200 reactor based power unit was connected to the grid at Belarus Nuclear Power Plant in November 2020.
The El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is being constructed in accordance with the set of contracts that came into force on 11 December 2017. According to the respective contractual obligations, the Russian Party will not only deliver Russian nuclear fuel for the entire life cycle of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, but will also assist the Egyptian Party in personnel training and support them during the operation and maintenance within the first 10 years of operation of the nuclear power plant. The Russian Party will construct a special storage facility and supply containers for the storage of spent nuclear fuel as part of one more agreement. The permit for the construction of the first reactor was issued in June 2022, the second — in October 2022 and the third — in March 2023.
Russia continues a constructive dialogue with its foreign colleagues developing cooperation with the countries from all over the world and actively forming a multi-polar system of international relations. The major foreign energy projects are also being implemented. Rosatom and its enterprises are actively involved in these activities.