The head of Egypt: pouring concrete at the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant is a historical event

A significant event for Russia and Egypt. Today in the Arab Republic, at the highest level, they started pouring concrete into the base of the last block of the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant, a correspondent reported REN TV Anton Zolotnitsky.

Now full-scale construction of the first nuclear power plant in the country will begin. The project is being implemented by Rosatom. Uses, as Vladimir Putin noted, advanced solutions and reliable Russian technologies. Details are in our material.

Without further ado, the leaders give the command, and representatives of the two countries on stage simultaneously press buttons. Concrete is poured into the base of the fourth power unit of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant to the accompaniment of Arabic music.

At the azure edge of the Mediterranean Sea, step by step, these giants rise from the desert. Construction of the first two power units began in 2022, the third in May last year, and finally, the finish line is strictly on schedule.

“A new stage of construction of the first nuclear power plant in Egypt is beginning, a project that is most important for Russian-Egyptian relations. The implementation of which, without a doubt, will make a significant contribution to the development of the Egyptian economy and will help strengthen its energy base.”– emphasized Russian President Vladimir Putin.

For the Arab Republic, the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant is not just a ticket to the elite “nuclear club” – it is an important step towards its own energy independence. The nuclear power plant will supply cheap electricity to Egypt’s two largest cities – Cairo and Alexandria.

“Power units using generation 3+ reactors will be able to annually produce up to 37 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, which will provide about 10 percent of the country’s energy consumption, and, unlike coal and gas power plants, nuclear power plants will not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which, of course, will have a beneficial effect on the environment and human health,” – the Russian leader specified.

And at the same time it will improve the entire economy of our friendly Egypt. After the launch of the station, the country’s GDP is projected to increase by more than a percent.

“The global energy supply crisis underscores the importance of the strategic decision taken to establish Egypt’s peaceful nuclear program. It helps ensure a secure, cheap and long-term energy supply,” – said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The project is based on the latest developments of Russian engineering. VVER-1200 reactors belong to the most modern generation. Their capacity has increased by 20 percent compared to their predecessor; the number of personnel, on the contrary, has decreased due to automation. Such a station will operate for 60 years with the possibility of extension for another 20. For almost a century, the station will be fueled with Russian fuel, all maintenance will be carried out in close cooperation between Rosatom and Egyptian business.

“Today, more than 90 Egyptian companies have become our partners, 285 contracts have been concluded with them. Thus, the Russian side is certainly fulfilling its obligations in terms of localization, and the volume of orders today from Egyptian suppliers has exceeded $1.2 billion,” – said Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom.

Already, 16 thousand workers are working at the construction site at the same time, at the peak there will be more than 25 thousand. At the same time, Rosatom is training a whole galaxy of Egyptian nuclear specialists.

“More than 90 Egyptian students have already received nuclear education at our universities. In addition, about 150 more Egyptians are currently studying. In other words, we are providing assistance to Egyptian friends throughout the entire life cycle of the nuclear project,” – Putin summed up.

In fact, from scratch and on a turnkey basis, Russia is creating an entire industry in Egypt. For our country, El-Dabaa is another project to add to our foreign portfolio, profit for decades to come and, most importantly, strong ties with one of the leading players in the region.