The Egyptian government has nominated 100 local companies operating in the field of electricity, consultancy, construction, and installation of projects to participate in the local component of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant to be implemented by Russian company Rosatom. Government sources told Daily News Egypt that the list includes all the local companies that have previous relevant experience and implemented many projects in the field of electricity and partnered with the government on stations and projects over the past years. The sources added that the selection of Egyptian companies to participate in the Dabba nuclear plant will be through the committee to settle the technology of the plant, which was recently launched to coordinate with the Russian side. The committee will also ensure transparency in choosing local suppliers. According to the sources, the list of candidates includes Arab Contractors, Orascom, Hassan Allam, Elsewedy Electric, Falcon, Petrojet, ABB Transformers, and Schneider Electric Egypt, among others. The list of companies also includes Shaker Consulting Group, Hamza & Partners, and Modern Technology Supplies. The sources said that the Ministry of Military Production will manufacture some of the equipment to be used in the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant at factories and companies belonging to the ministry. The joint national committee to settle the technology of the Dabaa nuclear plant includes the Ministries of Military Production, Ministry of Electricity, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as the Nuclear Power Plants Authority, and the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation. The committee launched its website in Arabic and English to allow the electronic registration of local companies wishing to register in the committee's database. This includes suppliers, contractors, and consultancy offices. The committee will choose from the database when assigning tenders and contracting. The committee's website will also present the vision, mission, and objectives through which it works and seeks to achieve. It will include, in the future, the news related to the project in the scope of the committee's work, including the announcement of the tenders and the conditions for applying for them, in cooperation and coordination with the Nuclear Power Plants Authority and the Russian side. An official at the Nuclear Power Plants Authority said that the authority will submit all the documents related to the project to the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, for review and confirming compliance with international standards for nuclear safety, within days. The source noted that there are ongoing regular meetings between the two bodies to exchange information. He confirmed that Russian experts are currently at the work site at the Dabaa station, accompanied by Egyptian experts to complete site studies, and to start sconstruction work after reviewing documents through the commission. He pointed out that the authority carries out all the regulatory and supervisory functions related to nuclear and radiation activities to benefit from the uses of atomic energy in a manner that ensures the safety of humans, property, and environmental resources from the dangers of exposure to nuclear radiation. The committee prepared for this project through the formation of a permanent committee comprising engineers, consultants, and experts in this regard. The sources pointed out that the officials of the Russian company Rosatom are present at the site of the Dabaa nuclear station to complete the work of measurements and designs for the project. The first tranche of the Russian loan has yet to be dispersed. "The loan is linked to the project. Once the measurements are finalised and the final designs are prepared, the first tranche will be disbursed and approved by the Nuclear Power Plants Authority. The loan will be paid after the commercial operation of the plant, according to the agreement with Russia," the source said. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin green lit the implementation of the contracts for the nuclear power plant, which will have a capacity of 4,800 MW. The first unit, primary delivery, and commercial operation is expected to be completed by 2026, while the second, third, and fourth units will be completed by 2028 in accordance with the implementation programmes agreed between the parties. Egypt signed an agreement with Russia to set up the station at a cost of EGP 30bn up to the commercial operation of the project. Egypt will receive a $25bn loan from Russia representing 85% of the cost of the project at an interest rate of 3% per annum.
