Sisi: Egypt lining up to cooperate with IAEA to develop nuclear infrastructure

Egypt is keen on cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in developing nuclear infrastructure, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in a meeting held on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum on Monday.

According to a statement by the Egyptian presidency, El-Sisi told Grossi that such a commitment was reflected in the successful visit made by the organisation’s delegation recently to review Egypt’s nuclear infrastructure under the country’s Dabaa Nuclear Plant.

Grossi praised Egypt’s active role both regionally and internationally in the fields of nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

He also expressed his interest in maximising consultation and coordination with Egypt to promote the efforts and activities of the organisation in Africa, especially under Egypt’s current chairmanship of the African Union.

Dabaa, Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, is planned to be built in Matrouh governorate on the Mediterranean coast, 250km west of Alexandria. Construction on the plant is expected to start in 2020.

The 4,800 megawatt (MW) capacity plant, the first out of four plants at Dabaa in the north of the country, aims to be up and running by 2026, while the other three are set to be completed by 2028.

The project’s contractors say that the project will be equipped with the top safety measures adopted worldwide.

Source: Ahram Online