Installation of First Steam Generator Begins at Egypt's El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, Total Capacity to Reach 4,800 MW

Recently, the Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) of Egypt issued a statement announcing that installation of the first steam generator for Unit 1 of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant has begun, coinciding with Egypt's celebration of the 53rd anniversary of the October War victory. This is part of the main equipment installation work for the reactor facility.

It is understood that the steam generator is one of the main components of the VVER-1200 nuclear reactor system, serving as the thermal connection device between the primary loop and the secondary loop, transferring reactor heat to the secondary loop cooling water through the primary loop coolant while maintaining isolation between the two loops; the generated steam is delivered to the turbine for power generation. According to NPPA, each steam generator transfers approximately 800 megawatts thermal (MWt) and produces approximately 1,600 tons of steam per hour. Each nuclear power unit has four steam generators, with a total heat transfer capacity of approximately 3,200 MWt and a total steam production of approximately 6,400 tons per hour.

The steam generators used in the VVER-1200 reactor are known for their massive size and high thermal capacity, each approximately 14 meters long, weighing approximately 350 tons, and containing approximately 11,000 heat exchange tubes. NPPA noted that this milestone coincides with the October 6 commemoration, combining the symbolic significance of national victory with the plant's new engineering and technological achievements. This project is one of Egypt's efforts to enhance its national nuclear energy capabilities and strengthen the security and sustainability of its electricity supply.

The El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant consists of four VVER-1200 nuclear power units, each with a capacity of 1,200 MW, with a total installed capacity of approximately 4,800 MW. This is Egypt's first nuclear power plant for electricity generation, implemented by the Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) in cooperation with the general contractor Atomstroyexport (ASE), in compliance with nuclear safety and quality requirements. It is reported that the commencement of the first steam generator installation means that Unit 1 of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant has entered the main equipment installation phase, laying the foundation for subsequent reactor system commissioning and grid-connected power generation, and also marking substantive progress in Egypt's nuclear power generation program.