Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) has been granted approval to build a facility for storing spent nuclear fuel at the El-Dabaa power plant, located about 320 kilometers northwest of Cairo. This facility is an essential part of Egypt’s expanding nuclear energy program and will provide safe, long-term storage for nuclear waste. Construction is set to begin in 2025, with a focus on adhering to the highest global standards for safety and environmental protection. The storage facility will utilize advanced dry containment technology, capable of securely storing nuclear waste for up to 100 years.
El-Dabaa will be Egypt’s first nuclear power plant and is the largest energy infrastructure project in the country in recent decades. The plant is being developed in collaboration with Russia’s Rosatom and will feature four VVER-1200 reactors, the same cutting-edge designs used in Russia’s Leningrad and Novovoronezh plants, as well as Belarus’s Ostrovets plant. This partnership highlights Egypt’s dedication to utilizing international expertise as it advances its nuclear energy goals.
NPPA Chairman Amjad El-Wakeel expressed his satisfaction with the approval, calling it a major achievement for Egypt’s nuclear program. He noted that the approval fits within the project’s timeline, reinforcing the steady progress being made. “We’ve successfully secured the permit to construct the spent nuclear fuel storage facility at El-Dabaa,” El-Wakeel said, emphasizing the project’s compliance with strict technical and safety standards.
The permit application was submitted to Egypt’s Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (NRRA) on June 12, 2024, along with comprehensive technical and design documentation reviewed by nuclear experts. After a series of technical consultations and collaborative meetings between NPPA and NRRA specialists, the permit was granted during NRRA’s seventh session on December 31, 2024. This approval represents a crucial step in Egypt’s mission to establish a sustainable and well-regulated nuclear energy program.