Construction of Dabaa nuclear plant’s third reactor gets the green light

More progress on Egypt’s nuclear plant: The Egyptian Nuclear & Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) has granted permission for the construction of the third 1.2 GW reactor at Egypt’s 4.8 GW Dabaa nuclear power plant, according to a statement last week. No timeline has been released on when construction will begin. The approval comes after construction of the second reactor began in November.

REMEMBER- Egypt and Rosatom began construction on the USD 30 bn plant in July 2022, kicking off an eight-year construction timeline that is expected to see it come online at the beginning of the next decade. The plant’s construction had faced delays in schedule in recent years due to the covid-19 pandemic. Rosatom was contracted in 2015 to handle the construction and provide fuel for the plant which features four 1.2 GW reactors. 85% of the facility’s financing is through a USD 25 bn loan from Russia, with Egypt scheduled to begin repaying the sum in October 2029.