The El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is one of the most ambitious projects in the cooperation between Russia and Egypt. Construction works on the site are in full swing. Egyptian nuclear professionals are actively collaborating with their Russian colleagues and participating in key joint events.
In late March, the first concrete was poured for the foundation of Unit 4 at the Leningrad II nuclear power plant in Russia. The first unit of this plant serves as a reference for the Egyptian project.
Representatives of the El Dabaa NPP participated in the first concrete ceremony via video link. They shared updates on the construction progress of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant and extended their best wishes to their Russian colleagues working on the new units of the Leningrad NPP.
The Leningrad NPP is one of the largest in Russia by installed capacity (4,400 MW) and the only one with two types of reactors in operation: two RBMK-1000 installations (uranium-graphite channel-type thermal neutron reactors with a capacity of 1,000 MW) and two Generation III+ VVER-1200 installations (pressurized water reactors with a capacity of 1,200 MW). Units 1 and 2 with RBMK-1000 reactors were decommissioned after 45 years of service. They were replaced with two VVER-1200 reactors commissioned in 2018 and 2021. The design life of VVER-1200 reactors is 60 years, extendable by another 20 years. In 2022, construction works began at Units 3 and 4, which will be equipped with VVER-1200 reactors. They will replace the remaining two units with RBMK-1000 reactors. Once operational, each unit is expected to generate over 8.5 billion kWh of electricity annually.
Russia and Egypt are not the only countries that are building Russian-designed units with innovative VVER-1200 reactors. Two such units constructed by Rosatom in Belarus have been feeding electricity into the national grid since 2023. Units 3 and 4 of China’s Xudabao NPP are being erected with input from Rosatom. The Paks II project, which provides for the construction of two VVER-1200 reactors, is a flagship of Russian-Hungarian cooperation and the first of its kind within the European Union. The Hungarian regulator has already issued a general construction license for this plant, and preparations are now underway on the site.
The Rooppur NPP in Bangladesh also consists of two VVER-1200 units, both of which are under active construction. In March this year, workers completed the installation of a turbine at Unit 1, bringing it closer to achieving the first criticality. Also at Rooppur Unit 1, hydraulic pressure tests were successfully completed on the primary coolant systems and equipment.
Four units with VVER-1200 reactors are under construction at Turkey’s Akkuyu NPP. In mid-March, engines of all four primary coolant pumps were idled at Akkuyu Unit 1, an important phase of the pre-commissioning operations preceding the first criticality. At Unit 2, workers put a 350-tonne gantry crane into operation and installed a pressurizer.
Along with building nuclear power plants around the world, Rosatom does a lot to raise awareness about nuclear energy. In April, applications closed for the eighth annual Atoms Empowering Africa video competition. Its goal is to inspire young people in Africa to explore the potentials of nuclear technology. The competition is open to educators, young professionals and students aged 18 to 35.
Atoms Empowering Africa 2025 will center on three key themes: Honor of the Past, Inspiration of the Present, and Dreams of the Future. This year’s contest is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Russian nuclear industry. Contestants are invited to tell the story of nuclear technology’s contribution to global progress and Africa’s development, bringing together the past, present and future.
“The Atoms Empowering Africa competition has become a powerful platform for young African innovators to showcase their creativity and enthusiasm for science and technology. This competition provides a unique opportunity for participants to share their perspectives on how nuclear energy could drive innovation, sustainability and prosperity for the continent,” said CEO of Rosatom Central and Southern Africa Ryan Collyer.
Last year’s first prize was a trip to Russia. The finalists toured the main sights of the capital city and visited some of the Russian nuclear facilities.
Construction workers employed at the El Dabaa NPP often take part in environmental campaigns. In late March, about a hundred people from the subcontracting companies working on the plant site joined a cleanup initiative on the Mediterranean coast. The volunteers collected more than 50 bags of plastic and other waste.
Photo by: Rosatom International, Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation, Newspaper “Strana Rosatom”
