CAIRO: Conflicting statements over the location of the first Egyptian nuclear power plant is still being debated after comments attributed to Hassan Younis, Minister of Electricity and Energy, where he excluded Dabaa – in the Northwestern Delta region – to establish a nuclear plant. The ministry allegedly has reported the country needs more than one nuclear facility in order to combat the growing water crisis in Egypt. Aghtham Aboul Ela, the spokesman for the ministry, said that Younis did not only exclude Dabaa, instead argued the importance of a study revealed the need for more than one plant due to Egypt's needs. He said that it is “illogical to establish more than one nuclear plant in Dabaa alone.” He added that the Ministry is studying four other locations for the establishment of the number of required nuclear plants. Dabaa has not been ruled out, he argued. Essmat Hanim Ali, a professor of nuclear safety, confirmed that that Dabaa project has cost roughly half a billion Egyptian pounds in studies since the 1980s and is the most suitable location for the establishment of a nuclear reactor, adding that building the reactor in an area with “geological and geographical constraints is possible, but at a greater cost.” She noted that it is important to establish at least 6 nuclear power stations “for the production of energy and that it is necessary to establish two stations on the land of Dabaa initially, then consider alternative sites for the establishment of other plants.” The professor warned of a slowdown in the project, “because there is a shortage of energy during the coming period, while the process of building one plant takes 7 years.” Mohammed Taha al-Qulaili, head of the Atomic Energy Authority, said that 20 percent of the energy produced in the country should come via nuclear. He stressed that this is not a matter of “welfare,” but is the inevitable alternative, saying that “energy sources in Egypt are depleted and we are in a desperate need of an alternative nuclear program in light of the impossibility of establishing hydro plants to generate electricity on the river and solar energy is expensive.” Qulail argued that solar energy would not be able to meet the country's requirements and that Egypt “should bear in mind that the nuclear plant to be established, will not be fruitful or allow us to take advantage of its production before at least 10 years.” Al Qulaili also saidthat the Ministry hopes to produce about 4000 MW of energy by building four reactors within one station”. Rashad Al-Qubaisi, former president of the International Center for nuclear weapons at the United Nations, said that the nuclear project is too late and “we know that there is a delay, which is governed by conditions beyond our control due to political and international pressure and another delay that the government is responsible for.” He considers it a crime against the country, stressing that Egypt's “need for energy is urgent and and the establishment of a nuclear power plant is not only for the production of energy, but also for the desalination of sea water. “Egyptians will stand in lines to obtain their share of water, which will be distributed on ration cards and, quite frankly we're not serious about our nuclear program.” For his part, Mahmoud Barakat, former Chairman of the Arab Atomic Energy Agency, declared that the program is set to be established, but added that “unfortunately, it is not clear that we are walking steps to achieve this effective program.” He added that “each station consists of four reactors [that would] produce 4000 megawatts of power.” Highlighting the need for nuclear energy, Barakat said “we do not need tourism as we would die without power.” **reporting by Mohamed Abdel Salam BM
