Egypt Moves Ahead with Nuclear Power Plans

In the coming days, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Energy Hassan Yunis will submit a detailed report to President Mohammed Morsi outlining the executive steps necessary to create Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, which is to be built in the town of Dabaa. The report includes an action plan to implement the nuclear program. The report was ordered in response to Egypt’s depleting traditional sources of energy and a need for environmental consciousness. What’s more, it has been understood that the economic feasibility of renewable energy is linked to future scientific progress.

The report elaborates on the reasons for Egypt to adopt a nuclear program and build plants to generate electricity. The most pressing issue is meeting the country’s growing demand for electricity, which means an additional 3000 megawatts annually. The program would also create employment opportunities and develop local industries.

The report also sheds light on world nuclear energy supply: In 2011, 436 nuclear reactors operating in 31 countries accounted for 14 percent of the world’s electricity supply. 62 additional reactors are under construction in 14 countries, and these will add a capacity of 60,000 megawatts. In addition to this, 128 countries from around the world are willing to build another 157 reactors, with another 175,000 megawatts of capacity.

In the report, Yunis demonstrated the economic feasibility of the project, detailing the necessary steps for the electricity sector along with how international and local actors coordinated and cooperated. The report mentioned that a law had been passed regulating the use of nuclear and radioactive materials and adopted a list of regulations within a framework of transparency and accordance to international treaties. The most important item within the list of regulations is that a nuclear monitoring body is to be created under the supervision the prime minister.

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