Nuclear energy: Reactor pressure vessels headed to Egypt

The equipment for the Egyptian NPP was manufactured at Izhora Plant in St. Petersburg

A shipment of reactor pressure vessels destined for the El Dabaa nuclear power plant (NPP) in Egypt was given an official send off on Thursday, 25 September on the opening day of the World Atomic Week International Forum in Moscow, Russia. 

A similar shipment was also flagged off for Turkey.

Synchronous shipment of two nuclear reactors at once from different cities was carried out for the first time in the history of the Russian nuclear industry.

Special send-off for key nuclear infrastructure

The mechanical engineers sent VVER-1200 nuclear reactors of the newest generation 3+ to the construction sites for the NPPs in Egypt and Turkey in casings decorated with ornaments combining the Russian traditional motifs and visualisation of the modern scientific concepts of the quantum-mechanical atom model. 

The equipment will be delivered from the plants to specialised jetties by road and then the items will be transported to the construction site by water, said Rosatom. 

The journey from Volgodonsk to Turkey will take about three weeks and a month from St Petersburg to Egypt. 

This Forum, at the Exhibition of National Economy Achievements (VDNKh), coincides with the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry in Russia.

The official opening ceremony was launched by:

• Sergey Kirienko, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation;
• Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rosatom, Alexander Novak; Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation;
• Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA);
• Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association; and 
• Alexey Likhachev, Director-General of Rosatom.

• Forum organisers Rosatom, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, was a key sponsor of the Enlit Africa 2025 conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

  Kiriyenko said nuclear energy is an industry with very long cycles. 

  “This calls for deep mutual trust. And we, Russia and Rosatom, have always followed this principle: building long-term, trusting relationships with our partners, readily sharing technologies and expertise, creating joint ventures, and working together in third-country markets.”

  ‘World needs partnerships, not sanctions’

  Kiriyenko, in a not too subtle broadside at Western (read US) trade policies, highlighted the importance of partnerships for the energy sector and the world economy.    

  “We are convinced that this is how modern technologies should be developed to bring prosperity, security, and well-being to people all over the world – not through restrictions, embargoes, or sanctions. 

  “We thank all our partners for their trust and cooperation. Modern nuclear power plants have a lifespan of about 100 years. This means that the agreements reached at World Nuclear Week will shape the fate of our planet for at least the rest of this century.” 

  WAW highlights

  Likhachev highlighted several firsts for the event. 

  This includes: 

• the Global Atomic Forum
• the development of partnership relations in the field of atomic energy within BRICS
• an extensive youth programme. 

•  

  “Our task is to step together into tomorrow, where there will be no alternative to the use of nuclear energy as the basis for green energy. We sincerely thank our partners for their trust. We will do everything to justify this trust. We declare the World Atomic Week open,” said Likhachev

  The official shipment of advanced VVER-1200 reactor pressure vessels for Power Unit No 1 of El Dabaa NPP (Egypt) and Power Unit No 4 of Akkuyu NPP (Turkey) was launched “in the teleconference format within the framework of the forum opening ceremony.” 

Igor Kotov, Head of the Machine-Building Division of Rosatom and Mohammad Ramadan, Vice President of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority of Egypt (NPPA), were present at the official launch of the equipment shipping.

The equipment for the Egyptian NPP was manufactured at Izhora Plant in St. Petersburg and for the Turkish NPP at Atommash Machine Building Plant in Volgodonsk (Rostov region).

Mahmoud Mostafa Kamal Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt, Zafer Demircan, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey, and Likhachev kicked off the equipment’s journey.

Kotov said the shipment of two nuclear reactors at once is an important event for the mechanical engineers of Rosatom and its partners. 

Milestone for the Egypt nuclear plant

“Sending of the ‘heart’ of the first El Dabaa NPP power unit to the Arab Republic of Egypt turns over a new page in our long-term cooperation, while shipment of the fourth reactor for Akkuyu NPP to the Republic of Turkey confirms our reputation as a reliable manufacturer of high-tech equipment which we supply in time. 

“Under the conditions of growing demand for clean electric power 22 sets of equipment are simultaneously being manufactured at our plants for NPPs in Russia and abroad, and 250 reactors have been manufactured in our country within 80 years of nuclear industry,” said Kotov.

Likhachev lauded Mariano Grossi for his continued support of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation as well as their nuclear sector in the face of pressure within certain quarters at the IAEA to sideline Rosatom.

The Rosatom D-G also praised Bilbao y León for her continued support and quipped how difficult it must be for her given that the World Nuclear Association’s headquarters are in London.

Cover photo:  Senior nuclear sector officials open the World Atomic Week International Forum in Moscow, Russia. Source: Rosatom