On March 29, 2023, a meeting of Board of Directors of Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) was held, at which the regulatory authority issued a license for construction of El-Dabaa NPP Unit 3 (general designer and general contractor – ROSATOM Engineering Division).
From 11 to 17 March 2023, a commission of Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority performed a comprehensive inspection checking the readiness for commencement of construction of Unit 3 with VVER-1200 reactor plant that belongs to III+ generation and complies with the highest international safety requirements.
Upon the results of the inspection, the commission confirmed the safety of construction of Unit 3 – no harm for the environment was identified. The meeting of ENRRA Board of Directors headed by Board Chairman Samy Shaaban took the decision to issue a license for the construction of El-Dabaa NPP Unit 3.
“Receipt of the license for construction of Unit 3 is the result of huge effort for the preparation of the license documentation. This is another important step that brings us closer to the main period of construction of Power Unit 3. Thanks to the well-coordinated work of the Owner (NPPA) and the Contractor (ASE JSC) we are successfully passing new stages in the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Egypt”, said Alexander Korchagin, ASE JSC Senior Vice President for NPP Construction Projects Management.
For reference:
El-Dabaa NPP is the first nuclear power plant in Egypt which will be built in the city of El-Dabaa, Matrouh province, on the Mediterranean coast, approximately 300 km North-West of Cairo. The NPP will consist of four power units, 1200 MW each, with VVER-1200 reactors (pressurized water reactor) of generation III+ . This is the newest generation technology which has references and is already operating successfully. There are four operational power units of this generation: two reactors at Novovoronezh NPP and two at Leningrad NPP. Outside Russia, one power unit of Belarus NPP with VVER-1200 reactor was connected to the grid in November 2020.
The NPP is being constructed in accordance with the package of contracts which entered into force on December 11, 2017. In accordance with the contractual obligations, the Russian party will not only construct the power plant but will also supply nuclear fuel for the whole life cycle of the NPP and will provide assistance to the Egyptian partners in training of the personnel and support of operation and service of the plant during the first 10 years of its operation. Under a separate agreement, the Russian party will build a special storage and will supply containers for storing spent nuclear fuel.
