2024 was a busy year for the El Dabaa project with the first concrete poured at Unit 4, two core catchers installed, and other important events happening at the site on the back of close cooperation between Russian and Egyptian nuclear engineers as part of business events. Here is our review of the past year.

Construction

The year 2024 started busy. In January, a landmark event took place on the site as the first concrete was poured for the basemat of El Dabaa Unit 4. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-­Sisi called this event “a brilliant page on the path of close cooperation between Egypt and Russia”. Since then, all four blocks of the nuclear station have been in the construction phase. El Dabaa is now one of the largest nuclear construction projects in the world and the largest in Africa.

In early March, workers began erecting the first tier of the inner containment shell (ICS) at the first unit of the plant. It is a critical structure for ensuring safety of the power unit. The ICS consists of six tiers. When completed, the inner containment shell will be a cylinder-­shaped reinforced concrete structure covered with a hemispherical dome. It is designed to house the nuclear reactor and primary circuit equipment of a power unit.

In late May, erection of the first ICS tier was completed. Andrey Petrov, President of AtomStroyExport (ASE), who was present at the site, pointed out that over 20,000 people were involved in the construction of El Dabaa at that time. In late September, builders proceeded with the construction of the first ICS tier at the second unit of the plant. It is a complex operation that lasted about 15 hours.

Core catchers

The core catcher belongs to the passive safety system of the nuclear power plant. Designed by Russian engineers, it is a steel vessel that retains corium fragments in case of a severe accident and prevents them from escaping out of the containment area. The core catcher contains the so-called sacrificial material that inhibits the chain reaction.

In early July, a core catcher for Unit 3 was delivered to the El Dabaa construction site. Its installation began in early October.

In early November, a core catcher for Unit 4 arrived at the site. Workers proceeded with its installation as soon as the end of the same month. Commenting on the event, Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev recalled that the core catcher was a key safety component of Generation III+ power units. “It is symbolic that we are beginning the core catcher installation at Unit 4 on the Nuclear Power Day celebrated in Egypt on November 19. Construction works are progressing at full speed at each of the four units of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant in compliance with the international requirements. Rosatom makes safety a priority in its every project, and the Egyptian construction site is no exception for us,” Alexey Likhachev said.

Therefore, the core catchers were installed at Units 1 and 2 in 2023, and at Unit 3 and 4 in 2024.

Core catchers are included in the design of every nuclear power plant with VVER‑1200 reactors. Foreign reactor designs, even those belonging to Generation III+, do not have such safety devices.

Shipments

In July, Russian steel-­makers shipped a large batch of billets (24 large-size pieces weighing over 650 tonnes in total) to be processed into the equipment for the primary coolant circuit of El Dabaa Unit 1.

In late September, Atommash, a Volgodonsk-­based production facility of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division, proceeded with manufacturing a reactor pressure vessel for El Dabaa Unit 2. PetrozavodskMash, a mechanical engineering plant in Karelia, is manufacturing casings for the reactor coolant pumps that ensure coolant circulation in the reactor’s primary circuit.

In total, the production sites of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division will manufacture and ship about 12,500 tonnes of equipment for El Dabaa. This includes nuclear reactors with internals and heads, sets of steam generators, reactor coolant pump casings, primary coolant pipes, active and passive safety systems, and pressurizers.

On September 28, Russia celebrated the Nuclear Industry Workers Day. In honor of the holiday, steelmakers of AEM SpetsStal (part of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division) cast the first steel for the reactor pressure vessel of El Dabaa Unit 4.

Business activity

In late March, Egyptian representatives took part in the Atomexpo 2024 international forum They discussed the development of nuclear power and related technologies with their colleagues from other countries. Dr. Mohammed Saad Dwiddar, Director of El Dabaa NPP Construction Project, said that industry digitalization had brought the project to a new level of efficiency.

In addition to El Dabaa, Egypt and Russia are working together on nuclear medicine projects. Rosatom and Egyptian Med Pharma Group signed a roadmap on the sidelines of Atomexpo 2024 to jointly promote Tianox therapeutic device in Egypt’s healthcare and pharmacology market. Tianox is an innovative Russian-­designed machine for nitric oxide therapy in adults and children, including newborns.

In early June, Rosatom took part in the Africa Health ExCon, a pan-­African exhibition and conference held in Cairo. “Rosatom sees growing interest from Egyptian companies. We met with key market players to demonstrate what Rosatom can do for the Egyptian healthcare sector,” said Murad Aslanov, Director of Rosatom’s Office in Egypt.

Rosatom’s subsidiary Medscan Group signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ayadi 4040 Foundation and Association. The parties agreed to deliver joint projects aimed at utilizing non-energy nuclear technologies and developing nuclear medicine in Egypt.

Education and training

One of Rosatom’s missions is to promote science and develop education. In mid-­December 2024, Rosatom held a Science Festival in three Egyptian cities: Cairo, El Alamein, and Alexandria. It brought together over 2,800 schoolchildren and students. Egyptian and Russian nuclear engineers told them about the history of nuclear energy in Egypt and the development of the El Dabaa NPP project.

“The Science Festival is an exclusive platform for bridging the gap between theory and practice. It inspires students to look into the transformation potential of nuclear physics and engineering,” said Alexander Nakhabov, Deputy Head of the Nuclear Physics and Technology Department at the Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering.

Rosatom also sponsored the African Junior Chess Championship held in the autumn of 2024. This tournament traditionally brings together the most talented young chess players from Egypt and 13 other African countries.

“Chess is a game based on intellectual discipline, strategic thinking, and perseverance — ​qualities that resonate deeply with Rosatom’s mission of fostering innovation and progress. Rosatom is immensely proud to stand alongside the champions of the 2024 African Junior Chess Championship, celebrating their extraordinary achievements and dedication to excellence. Rosatom remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering young minds, promoting knowledge-­sharing, and building bridges of collaboration between countries across the world,” said Murad Aslanov.