NUCLEAR ENERGY UNLEASHES UNLIMITED POTENTIAL FOR EGYPT’S ENERGY SECTOR

While the global debate on nuclear energy continues, it is expected that the map of this type of energy will witness remarkable changes in the coming years, in light of the divergent opinions about it, and the accompanying divergent measures among many countries. Nuclear energy still has the ability to generate abundant primary energy supplies with little or no harmful direct emissions.

A nuclear plant is under construction in El-Dabaa to generate electricity, and a contract for its implementation has been signed with the Russian side (Rosatom Co.). It includes four nuclear reactors and its benefits include high safety rates, simplicity of design, low costs and an extensive lifespan of more than 60 years compared to thermal stations.

El-Dabaa was chosen as the site for the establishment of the first peaceful nuclear power plant for several reasons, the first of which is that El-Dabaa is a suitable and very safe place, close to water sources that can be used to cool nuclear plants. It is also a stable land far from the earthquake belt, which ensures that no nuclear leakage occurs, in addition to being about 60 kilometers away from population centers, and therefore it will not pose an environmental or societal danger.

The importance of the Dabaa nuclear project lies in the benefit that it will accrue to Egypt in many fields, as well as the qualitative shift that will place Egypt on the list and among the countries that possess clean, peaceful nuclear energy.

Egypt's entry into the nuclear club means that the Egyptian economy will enter a broader field, and there will be direct benefits on its production of electricity. It will also allow the country to diversify its sources of relatively cheap and inexhaustible alternative energy as well as avoid price fluctuations in the energy market. It is clean and does not harm the environment through the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

After the inauguration of this project, Egypt will officially become a peaceful user of nuclear energy, representing a major milestone in its quest to economically develop. Egypt is moving towards building a modern state based on solid scientific foundations, taking in its path all the means for advancement and scientific progress, especially nuclear energy. It has also become involved in most scientific, medical, agricultural and industrial fields, and even in the areas of nutrition, and increasing plant and animal production.

The Russian company Rosatom said that the nuclear plant that will be built in El-Dabaa will cost $21 billion and is expected to be completed in 2028-2029. Russia will provide a government export loan to Egypt worth $25 billion in order to finance activities and services related to equipment for the construction and operation of the Egyptian nuclear power plant.

Five years separate Egypt from achieving the longawaited nuclear dream, by operating the first peaceful nuclear power reactor to produce electricity in the ElDabaa region of Matrouh Governorate.

Eng. Mohamed Abdelraouf Production Gen Mgr In Khalda petroleum company