Egypt is poised to enter the most strategic phase of its civilian nuclear program today with the scheduled installation of the reactor vessel for the first unit of the Al-Dabaa nuclear power plant.
This step marks a massive technical and geopolitical advancement for the nation. The critical installation date was announced on November 10 by Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, during his visit to Cairo.
The installation of the reactor vessel is described as an “exceptional” and highly delicate operation. The vessel is the heart of the plant; this massive steel container is designed to withstand extreme pressures and temperatures and will house the reactor core, where nuclear fission occurs, along with reflectors and control systems.
The future Al-Dabaa plant will feature four VVER-1200 reactors, each with an electrical capacity of 1.2 GW.
According to Ahmed Badawi, a nuclear systems expert, the margin of error in this operation is negligible, as every component must be positioned with millimetre precision. He states, “This step marks Egypt’s entry into the nuclear phase proper, reserved for countries capable of meeting the most stringent international requirements.”
For Cairo, this milestone is far more than just a technical achievement. Ali Abdel-Nabi, former vice-president of the Nuclear Energy Authority, noted that this is the beginning of a new energy chapter designed to strengthen electrical security, support industry, and affirm Egypt’s regional role. Egypt is now set to become the second country in Africa to operate a nuclear power plant, following South Africa.
Following the vessel installation, a series of non-nuclear tests will be conducted to verify system integrity, followed by a hot test—a complete simulation of the reactor’s operation without fuel—before the final fuel loading phase begins.
The project is heavily reliant on the strategic partnership with the Russian company Rosatom. Rosatom oversees the manufacturing, transport, and assembly of heavy equipment, while also providing training for hundreds of Egyptian engineers. The VVER-1200 reactors used at Al-Dabaa are the same model currently operating in Russia and Belarus.
The Al-Dabaa plant, located on the Mediterranean coast west of Alexandria, places a high priority on safety. Alexander Voronkov, Rosatom’s regional director, explains that nearly 60 percent of the project’s investment is dedicated to safety systems. He clarified that the VVER-1200 technology is designed to withstand the impact of a large aircraft and earthquakes up to magnitude 9, positioning Al-Dabaa among the safest nuclear power plants in the world.
MK/ak/fss/abj/APA