Russia and Egypt boost nuclear research
The Novosibirsk Chemical Engineering Plant and the Egyptian Atomic Energy Organization have signed a contract for the supply of low-enriched nuclear fuel components to Egypt, Russian state-owned energy giant Rosatom announced on Thursday.
The arrangement is part of a long-term contract for the export of nuclear fuel components to Cairo for its ETRR-2 reactor, it said. Novosibirsk Chemical Engineering Plant is part of TVEL, which is a Rosatom group company.
“The product line includes uranium components, aluminum alloys, and aluminum powder. Delivery will be completed in 2024,” Rosatom’s press service added.
According to the statement, the development of TVEL’s business in the Egyptian market was influenced by the availability of nuclear fuel for the El-Dabaa plant, which is under construction.
The ETRR-2 research reactor, located at the National Center for Nuclear Research in Inshas, facilitates research related to particle physics, material science, and the creation of radioisotopes.
Rosatom has been working on the construction of the El-Dabaa facility, Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, under a Russian-Egyptian intergovernmental agreement since 2015. The plan includes the construction of four power units that can generate a total of 4,800 megawatts.
The plant will provide electricity to about 20 million Egyptians, Rosatom said.
The total cost of the nuclear power plant will be $28.75 billion. Russia is financing approximately 85% of it with a 22-year loan to Egypt with an interest rate of 3%.
Egypt and Russia announced their cooperation in the nuclear power field in 2014.
