Russia begins shipping nuclear reactor pressure vessel for Egypt’s Dabaa NPP

CAIRO – 25 September 2025: Russia has officially begun the shipment of the nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for Egypt’s Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), according to a statement issued Thursday by Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity.

The transportation ceremony was held at the port of Saint Petersburg on the sidelines of the Supreme Nuclear Summit and World Atomic Week in Moscow. The RPV is now en route to the Dabaa site on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast and is expected to arrive during the first week of November. The manufacturing of the vessel, a critical component of the nuclear reactor system, took approximately 41 months to complete.

This milestone marks a significant step forward in the implementation of the Dabaa nuclear project and reflects Egypt’s steady progress in its peaceful nuclear energy program. The ministry emphasized that the delivery demonstrates adherence to the project’s planned schedule and highlights the technical collaboration between Egypt and Russia.

The ceremony was attended by Egypt’s Minister of Electricity, Mahmoud Essmat, along with Sherif Helmy, the chairman of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority, and Ahmed Farghal, the chairman of the Executive Authority for Nuclear Projects Supervision, in addition to senior Egyptian and Russian officials.

Located in the city of Dabaa in Marsa Matrouh Governorate, about 300 kilometers northwest of Cairo, the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is Egypt’s first nuclear power facility. The project consists of four units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts. The units are equipped with the advanced Russian VVER-1200 pressurized water reactors, part of the third-generation reactor technology already in use at reference plants worldwide. Launched in December 2017, the project is progressing on schedule.