Egypt grants permission for construction of Dabaa nuclear plant’s fourth and final reactor

Regulator approves fourth reactor at Egypt’s Dabaa: The Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) has granted permission for the construction of the fourth and final 1.2 GW reactor at Egypt’s 4.8 GW Dabaa nuclear power plant, according to a statement released last week. The approval comes a few months after the nuclear regulatory body approved the construction of the third 1.2 GW reactor in March. Permission to construct the first and second reactors was granted in June 2022 and October 2022 respectively, it said. Construction on the second reactor started in November and the third reactor in May.

All safe and sound: The ENRRA said it has verified the safety of the fourth reactor, determining that it poses no risk to humans, the environment, or property, according to the statement.

REMEMBER- Egypt and Rosatom began construction on the USD 30 bn plant in July 2022, kicking off an eight-year construction timeline that will see it come online at the beginning of the next decade. The plant’s construction saw delays in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rosatom was contracted in 2015 to handle the construction and provide fuel for the plant. 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.