The National Centre for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control has agreed in principle on Dabaa as the location of Egypt’s first nuclear power station.
According to Mohamed al-Qolali, head of the Egyptian Atomic Energy Agency (EAEA), all relevant technical studies have been reviewed except for a few reports which will be completed in a few days, at which point definite approval will be granted.
Al-Qolali said Dabaa is the best site for the nuclear power station, adding that it has been selected from among 23 sites following 20 years of studies.
He said that he had been disappointed by recent criticisms of the choice of location, adding that Egypt is a country of lost opportunities.
The EAEA chief added that nuclear power is no longer an option, but a necessity, since energy has become an issue for the entire world not only Egypt. “Egypt has to secure energy by exploiting all sources; otherwise we will be living in darkness.”
Al-Qolali dismissed allegations that the population could be affected by radiation from the project, saying that in the event of a leak, the radiation will be carried by the wind northwards in the direction of the sea. He also spoke reassuringly of the great advances in safety measures since the Chernobyl incident.
In related news, a delegation from Rosatom, the regulatory body of the Russian nuclear complex, will arrive in Cairo to present technical and financial specifications for the development of the Anshas reactor.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
