Egypt’s Minister of Electricity flies to Russia to discuss requirements for reactor core of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant

CAIRO – 17 April 2025: Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat headed on Thursday to Russia to discuss the requirements needed for the nuclear reactor core in Egypt’s under-construction Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in the Mediterranean city of Dabaa.

The Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy said in a statement on Thursday that the minister will meet with Russian nuclear officials to discuss developments in the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant.

Additionally, Esmat will make an inspection tour of equipment factories, and will meet with Russian nuclear officials to discuss several common topics, the statement added.

Located in Matrouh, northwestern Egypt, the 4.8GW plant is being developed by Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom in partnership with Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA). Expected to be fully operational by 2030, the plant will supply approximately 10 percent of Egypt’s total energy needs, generating up to 37 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Rosatom, which was contracted in 2015, is responsible for constructing the plant and providing nuclearfuel.

In January 2025, the Egyptian House of Representatives approved the Energy and Environment Committee's report on Presidential Decree No. 515 of 2024, which ratifies a protocol amending the government financing agreement between Egypt and Russia. The agreement secures a government export loan from Moscow to support the construction of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, El-Dabaa facility.

The decree was reviewed by a joint committee that included members of the Energy and Environment Committee, as well as representatives from the Planning and Budget, Economic Affairs, and Foreign Relations Committees. During three sessions, the committee examined the decree, its explanatory memorandum, and feedback from government officials before recommending approval.