Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 19 November 2022, the ceremony for the pouring of the “first concrete” for Unit 2 of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant took place at the El-Dabaa construction site in Egypt, marking the commencement of the main construction phase for Unit 2 of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant Project.

The ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Mohamed Shaker El-Markabi, the Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Dr. Amged El-Wakeel, Board Chairman of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA), Dr. Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom Director General, Dr. Alexander Korchagin, Senior Vice President for NPP Project Management of ASE JSC, and the project teams of Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division and the NPPA.

The ceremony follows the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority’s issuance of the construction permit for Unit 2 of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant on 31 October 2022.

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Shaker, in his welcoming address to the attendees, stated: “The Egyptian-Russian team is demonstrating the highest levels of professional excellence, and is achieving key milestones for the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant Project well ahead of schedule. It is symbolic that an event as important as the pouring of the first concrete for the foundation plate of Unit 2 of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant coincides with the birthday of H.E. Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the President of Egypt, who is the driving force behind the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project and many other mega-projects currently being implemented in Egypt. I am confident that the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project will have a significant impact on the lives of all Egyptians, and will also allow Egypt to take its place amongst other regional leaders in the nuclear industry”.

Emphasizing the importance of the event, Dr. Alexey Likhachev pointed out: “The construction of the El-Dabaa NPP Unit 2 speaks to the fact that the project is gaining pace. Rosatom continues its active work abroad: we are building 34 power units in 11 countries. But the project in Egypt has a special importance for us as El-Dabaa will become the first nuclear power plant on the African continent built using the Russian technology. This is the largest project of Russian-Egyptian cooperation since the time of the Aswan Dam construction. The NPP start-up will play a crucial role in the social, economic and technological life of Egypt and will give momentum to a gradual transition of the country’s industry and economy to low-carbon sources of energy. This will create a strong foundation for reliable and sustainable development in Egypt for decades to come. I congratulate our Egyptian colleagues and partners on achieving this important milestone!”

In his address to the attendees, Dr. Amged El-Wakeel, Board Chairman of the NPPA, reflected on the successes of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project, stating: “The commencement of the main construction phase for Units 1 and 2 this year is a major achievement for the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project, and demonstrates the level of support that the project has received from the leadership of both of our countries. I must take this opportunity on behalf of the NPPA to express my deepest appreciation to our Russian partners for their support in the implementation of this historic project. What we have achieved together is a true reflection of our fruitful cooperation. I am also excited by the progress Egypt has made in establishing itself as a regional leader in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which I firmly believe can be of great benefit to the Middle East and North Africa as a whole”.

Alexander Korchagin, Senior Vice President for NPP Project Management of ASE JSC, added: “In July 2022, the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project witnessed an important milestone, the pouring of first concrete for Unit 1. Today we have taken another significant step forward, with the commencement of the main construction phase for Unit 2. The well-coordinated joint work of the NPPA and ASE JSC has allowed us to achieve outstanding progress in the implementation of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project”.