Egypt Accelerates Construction of First Nuclear Power Plant

Egypt is pressing forward with the construction of its first nuclear power plant, El-Dabaa, with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reaffirming the project’s strategic importance. Speaking Tuesday during a meeting with Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev and other officials, Madbouly underscored Egypt’s commitment to completing the first phase of the project as scheduled.

The El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, located in Matrouh province on the Mediterranean coast about 300 km northwest of Cairo, is being built by Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom. Construction began in July 2022 and is slated for completion of its first phase in 2028. The plant is part of Egypt’s plan to diversify its energy sources and increase the share of clean energy to 42% of the national energy mix by 2030.

Rosatom CEO Likhachev praised Egypt’s efforts to expedite the project, highlighting the long-standing cooperation between the two nations. The $28.75 billion project includes four nuclear reactors, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts. Russia is financing 85% of the project cost through a 22-year loan, while Egypt will fund the remaining 15% in installments.

The project is governed by a 2017 agreement between Egypt and Russia. Atomstroyexport, Rosatom’s engineering division, serves as the general contractor, with Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority overseeing construction.