The Egyptian nuclear construction site is a focal point for Russian executives and government officials. Once all four power units are commissioned, El Dabaa will meet up to 10% of Egypt’s electricity needs. Experts are confident: nuclear energy is essential for the country to strengthen its energy security.
In April, a delegation from the Energy Committee of the Russian State Duma visited the nuclear construction site in Egypt.
Alexey Kononenko, Director of the El Dabaa Construction Project, briefed the Russian MPs on the project’s progress. He emphasized that all key construction milestones planned for 2025 had been achieved, most of them ahead of the contractual schedule. In November, the reactor pressure vessel for Unit 1 was installed in its design position. Alexey Kononenko reiterated that Russia would support its Egyptian partners at every stage of the project lifecycle, including nuclear fuel supplies, plant maintenance, and spent fuel management.
The delegation was shown key facilities in the builders’ residential quarters: a kindergarten, a school, a sports complex, and a recreation center. They were also briefed on the development of social and residential infrastructure, as well as the living arrangements for construction project employees and their families.
“Along with establishing a high-tech nuclear industry in the country, Russia is building the necessary infrastructure, including social amenities. It shares advanced technologies and assists in personnel training and regulatory framework development ,” concluded Nikolay Shulginov, Chairman of the State Duma Energy Committee.
Also in April, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev paid a working visit to Egypt. Meetings were held in New Cairo with Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. The parties discussed the development of cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the progress of the El Dabaa NPP construction project.
When commissioned, the four power units at the El Dabaa NPP, with a total capacity of 4,800 MW, will cover up to 10% of Egypt’s electricity consumption. Experts highlight the importance of nuclear energy for making the national power grid more robust.
“Total primary energy consumption in Egypt keeps growing. Although per capita consumption of primary energy has stabilized, there is an increase in per capita electricity production. Total electricity generation is also growing, which perfectly matches the level and nature of the country’s current stage of economic development. We can predict a further increase in consumption, which will drive the need for an expansion of generating capacity,” says Egor Sergeev, Associate Professor at the Department of World Economy and Senior Researcher at the Institute for International Studies at MGIMO University.
At the same time, the expert notes, the country’s fuel and energy mix continue to depend on hydrocarbons. For example, oil and gas account for over 90% of total primary energy consumption. Electricity production is 80% powered by gas. Recently, the country has once again become a net energy importer, with its growing energy needs also driving an increase in net imports of liquefied natural gas.
“The energy factor is usually considered one of the major external vulnerabilities of the country’s economy. The current global energy crisis is forcing experts to speak increasingly louder about the importance of having domestic, stable energy resources and capacities to reduce the national economy’s dependence on global market volatility and to hedge against sudden supply disruptions. This is particularly important for a swiftly developing country like Egypt,” Egor Sergeev adds.
The expert emphasizes that domestic nuclear generation is one of the foundations of a reliably functioning energy system amid mounting external shocks and general uncertainty in the global economy and energy sector. “An additional major driver of cooperation with Russia in this field lies outside of energy security and predictability of supplies — it consists in gaining access to technologies and solutions that are new to Egypt,” Egor Sergeev concludes.
Photo by: ASE JSC
