The Egyptian Nuclear Regulation and Radiological Authority (ENRRA) has granted a site approval permit to the Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) for the development and construction of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant on the Mediterranean coast, 170 kilometres west of Alexandria, reckoning that the site and its specific conditions meet both domestic and international requirements. This milestone marks the beginning of the licensing phase for the project, which will entail four Russian-designed VVER-1200 pressurized water reactors (PWRs) with a combined nameplate capacity of 4.8 GWe.
The Dabaa site was selected in 1983 but nuclear plans were shelved in 1986 after the Chernobyl disaster. The nuclear programme was relaunched after signing nuclear agreements with Russia in 2004 and 2008. Notices to proceed were signed in December 2017. The construction of the 4,800 MWe El Dabaa nuclear power project is expected to start in the next 2 years, for an initial start-up date of the first reactor in 2026. It will be supported by a Russian 13-year (2016-2028) loan of US$25bn, which will finance roughly 85% of the value of each contract for the work, services and equipment shipping. Egypt will repay the loan amounts used over the next 22 years.
Upon completion, the plant should account for up to 50% of the country's power generation capacity and help meet its increasing demand for electricity.
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