Russian, Egyptian leaders discuss possibility of building additional power units at Egyptian NPP - Rosatom CEO
NEW DELHI. Sept 11 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have discussed a possibility of Rosatom building additional power units at Egypt's El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev said.
"We discussed the movement forward, we are to bring fuel for the future year. First, technical-launch operations at Unit 1. We understand, of course, that the El Dabaa NPP site has the capacity for not only the four reactors currently under construction, but also for the same number roughly. And that is what the discussions are mostly focused on," Likhachev said.
Rosatom is ready to go ahead with expanding the El Dabaa project, the initiative is backed by Putin, he said. During the official talks, Sisi expressed gratitude to the Russian nuclear power workers for their job in Egypt, he said.
"This is the highest grade that you can hear, a head of state thanking you, asking not just to continue working and implementing existing agreements, but to also develop the cooperation. This is in the interests of Egypt, the Egyptian people," Likhachev said, adding that the presidents had discussed future cooperation on peaceful uses of nuclear power and future meetings under joint projects.
The El Dabaa NPP is located 350 kilometers from Cairo. The plant will comprise four power units with Russian VVER-1200 reactors belonging to the 3+ generation and meet high international requirements for efficiency and safety. Rosatom's engineering division is the general designer and contractor for the plant. This plant is Rosatom's first project in Africa.
The construction of the Unit 1 and Unit 2 at the El Dabaa NPP started in 2022, while the pouring of the first concrete for the two units took place just four months apart that became a record for the global nuclear industry. The construction of the Unit 3 began in 2023, while works on the Unit 4 began in January 2024.
Putin arrived in India on Friday for a three-day working visit. He met with Sisi on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in New Delhi. After the official part of the talks ended, the conversation between Putin, Sisi and Likhachev continued informally.
