Egypt plans to add two more units at El Dabaa nuclear power plant

Egypt is planning to add two more nuclear power units at the Dabaa nuclear power plant on its Mediterranean coast. Currently, four units provided by Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) for the project are already under construction.

Egypt's Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mahmoud Esmat, stated that the expansion plans will be discussed with Rosatom. According to Egyptian sources, no timeline has been set for the negotiations, and no final decision has been made on the expansion plan.

The expansion concept is part of Egypt's efforts to increase the share of nuclear and renewable energy in power generation and reduce dependence on traditional fuels. Egypt is particularly seeking to reduce its reliance on natural gas. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), more than 80% of Egypt's fossil fuel power generation relies on natural gas, and residential gas supply also depends heavily on it. In recent years, rapid growth in domestic demand has outpaced local production, turning Egypt into a net importer of natural gas, while also driving new offshore exploration and import agreements.

The Dabaa nuclear power plant, located in Egypt's Matrouh Governorate, approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Cairo, is Egypt's first nuclear power plant. Rosatom is building four Generation III+ VVER-1200 pressurized water reactor units at the site, each with an electrical output of 1,200 megawatts.

According to information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), construction of Dabaa Unit 1 began in July 2022, Unit 2 in November 2022, Unit 3 in May 2023, and Unit 4 in January 2024.