Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) has presented a list of 20 companies to Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, which will take part in the construction of Egypt’s first NPP at El Dabaa near the town of El-Alamein, 3.5km from the Mediterranean Sea. The companies include Orascom Construction Industries, Elsewedy Electric, Hassan Allam, Petrojet, and Arab Contractors.
NPPA sources said the local component in construction of the first reactor will be 20%, with Egyptian companies undertaking civil construction work and the installation of electrical cables, and Rosatom taking responsibility for nuclear components, including the reactors. NPPA chairperson Hassan Mahmoud said on 12 March that Russia will provide the technology and services needed for the project, and will provide nuclear fuel for the lifetime of the plant.
A Russian-Egyptian inter-governmental agreement was signed in November 2015 for construction of four 1200MWe units at El Dabaa. Russia it providing a load of $25bn to cover 85% of the work. Egypt plans to provide the rest through the involvement of private investors. The project will be implemented over 12 years. The loan is for 13 years from 2016 to 2028, and repayments at 3% a year will begin in October 2029.
Construction of the plant is expected to require more than 20,000 people and subsequent operation will provide about 4,000 jobs. The final contract for the construction of the plant is expected shortly and construction is due to begin by the end of the year, after obtaining the necessary permits.
