UN chief energy expert Yousry Abushady said in a recent interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm that the company building the Egyptian nuclear reactor is building similar ones in 11 other countries, adding that Egypt chose the safest type of reactors in the world.
“Nuclear power is the cheapest and most devoid of pollutants,” he said. “It cannot be compared to any other types of energy.”
Q: What do you think of the safety measures that Egypt has contracted for with Russia?
A: Russia is an expert in this field. And Rosatom, which is the company building the Egyptian nuclear reactor, is building similar ones in 11 other countries. Egypt chose the safest type of reactors in the world.
Q: What would nuclear power add to Egypt?
A: Nuclear power is the cheapest and most devoid of pollutants. It cannot be compared to any other types of energy. It saves oil and natural gas, which are non-renewable.
A nuclear reactor lasts for 60 years. Its fuel is renewed every two years at a very cheap cost. Other countries in the region are also building nuclear reactors. The UAE is building five and Saudi Arabia is building 17 reactors.
Q: Would it affect Egypt’s relations with Israel and the United States?
A: I do not think so. It is designed to produce peaceful energy, not an atomic bomb. I think it is the Egyptian-Russian rapprochement that worries the United States and Israel.
Russia building the reactor despite the Russian plane crash incident is confirmation of the strong relations with Egypt. Do not forget how Russia helped Egypt with the High Dam and the October 1973 war.
Q: What is your project with Mansoura University?
A: We agreed to establish a center for nuclear energy research and technology of reactors.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
