Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is expected to approve Dabaa as the site for the construction of Egypt's first nuclear station this week, official sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm. Well informed source, who refused to be named, said Mubarak is likely to announce the plan during the inauguration of the Talkha power generating station at Daqahliya on Monday. President Mubarak has been reassured that the nuclear project will not have any negative impacts on urban areas, they added. The same sources said that the international consultant for the nuclear project has almost completed the specifications for the power station and will soon be putting together the requirements in order to invite international tenders by the end of this year. Putting the project out to international tender should ensure that Egypt gets the best price for the construction of the station, the cost of which is estimated at US$4 billion, according to the sources, who also added that there is a preference for joint-manufacturing tenders. Dabaa is located 350 kilometers north-east of Cairo. Previous reports have said that some Egyptian businessmen had put pressure on the government in order not to build the station in this area, which is considered one of the best Mediterranean beaches. Earlier this month, Electricity and Energy Minister Hassan Younes said that Egypt plans to start an international bidding process this year for its first nuclear energy plant. Egypt is aiming to shift away from oil and gas to other sources and has said it wants to build four nuclear power plants by 2025, with the first to start operating in 2019. Officials hope the new nuclear program will add capacity of up to 4,000 megawatts by 2025. The ministry has invited several firms for consultancy and project briefings, such as the French nuclear reactor maker Areva, engineering group Alstom and Westinghouse Electric Co. The government was also looking to Korean and Japanese firms. In June, Russia's atomic energy corporation Rosatom briefed Egyptian energy officials on Russian nuclear power plant technology and design in a two-day workshop. Last year, Egypt signed a deal with Australia's WorleyParsons for a nuclear power consultancy.
