Plans for building the first nuclear power plant in Egypt once postponed by Chernobyl now potentially stymied after Fukushima

Plans for building the first nuclear power plant in Egypt once postponed by Chernobyl now potentially stymied after Fukushima

by Lucas W Hixson

After years of stop-start efforts, Egypt’s nuclear-energy ambitions are once again in serious doubt.  The plan to build the nuclear power station in Dabaa on the Mediterranean coast in northern Egypt was initiated over 30 years ago, in 1981 under former President Anwar Sadat, however Egypt’s nuclear plans were frozen after the Chernobyl accident.
After Sadat’s rule, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak continued to push the plan, in 2008 Egypt signed an agreement with Russia to assist in building the first 1,000 MW nuclear power plant at El Dabaa which was scheduled be completed by 2017, but some new Egyptian leaders have indicated that the project may be reviewed.