Egypt has decided to build four nuclear power plants by 2025, Egypt's Minister of Electricity and Energy Hassan Younes said. "The bodies in charge of carrying out the Egyptian nuclear program are currently studying the after-2025 stages as the issue of setting up four nuclear plants before this date has already been decided and there is no way to retreat from establishing any of the four plants," the country's El-Shorouk daily newspaper quoted the minister as saying on Friday. "We are currently defining the number of plants that we will need after 2025, as we adopt a strategy based on the diversification of energy resources including the nuclear, traditional and renewable energy," he added. Meanwhile, the Egyptian minister ruled out Cairo could be pressurized over its nuclear energy program or face any problems regarding nuclear fuel supplies. He affirmed that his country maintains good relations with international partners and deals with the issue with much transparency. In June, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano said in Cairo the agency was ready to cooperate with Egypt to build nuclear power stations. The UN nuclear watchdog chief indicated the agency had proposed to send a mission to Egypt to help with the country's projects. In October 2007, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced a plan to build several nuclear power stations to meet the country's increasing demand of electricity.
