Sisi approves construction of first nuclear plant in Egypt

The much anticipated construction of first nuclear plant in Egypt will now kick off after president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi signed off on commencing work on the country’s first nuclear reactor in Dabaa, west of Alexandria.

The project which is expected to be a power booster for Egypt is one of the biggest projects that have commenced in Sisi’s regime.

Over last week President Sisi met with the CEO of the Russian owned Rosatom State Atomic Energy, Sergei Kiriyenko, to discuss the financial and technical requirements to construct the nuclear plant.

According to the reports from the president’s office the project will now commence as per agreement.

“Both the ministers of electricity and finance vouched for the benefits of the Russian nuclear power plant,” said a statement released by Egypt’s Presidency.

Plans for Russia to construct the nuclear plant were first announced at Al-Qubba Presidential Palace during a visit of Russian President Putin to Egypt in February 2015. Construction of the first nuclear plant in Egypt has witnessed delays over several reasons key among them was weather Dabaa is the best place for its construction. There were widespread protests by the people in the area fearing for health effects of the project.

Egypt then consulted an Australian company over the suitability of Dabaa for the construction of the nuclear project.

Construction of the nuclear plant is scheduled to commence in 2016 and will be completed by 2020. The Russian company will build four reactors, while another four are currently up for an international tender.

The nuclear plant is expected to produce 9,600 megawatts of electricity for Egypt.

Egypt has for a while now facing power shortage problems and the government of Egypt is hoping to tackle the problem by initiating more power projects so that the country can have sufficient power supply.

The nuclear plant project is one of many power projects initiated including solar plant power that is currently worked on.

The construction of a nuclear power plant in Egypt was first mooted 60 years ago, but has been marred with delays but proponents of the plant say they hope this time things will go as planned.