Egypt launches advanced phase of El Dabaa nuclear power plant

Egypt launched an advanced phase of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant on Thursday with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel for the facility's second nuclear unit, the Egyptian Cabinet said.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended the ceremony for the project, which Egypt is building in cooperation with Russia, according to a Cabinet statement.

The ceremony was also attended by International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi and Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev, the statement said.

Likhachev said the El Dabaa project was progressing rapidly in line with the approved timetable.

He said the installation of the reactor pressure vessel for the second nuclear unit came seven months after the same process was completed for the first unit in November 2025, reflecting the accelerated pace of construction.

Likhachev said the project continued to advance in line with the highest standards of quality and nuclear safety.

Grossi welcomed the progress achieved on the El Dabaa project and said the IAEA would continue supporting member states in developing peaceful nuclear programs in accordance with the highest standards of nuclear safety and security.

On the sidelines of the ceremony, Grossi met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in Alamein.

According to the statement, Abdelatty said the opportunities created by the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran should be used to support the resumption of serious negotiations and prevent further escalation.

The El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is Egypt's first nuclear power plant for electricity generation and is being built in the city of El Dabaa in Matrouh governorate in western Egypt.

According to Egypt's Electricity Ministry, the first reactor is scheduled to begin operations in 2028, with the remaining reactors expected to enter service successively by 2030.