Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) issued a statement on Tuesday (August 13th) to respond to the aftermath of the nuclear accident in Russia and its associated repercussions and attempt to link it to Egypt’s Al-Dabaa nuclear power plant, a project carried out by Russian companies led by Rosatom.
On August 8th, an explosion of a nuclear nature occurred at a military facility in the Russian city of Safarodvinsk, killing five nuclear engineers. The Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation, Rosatom, announced that the accident occurred during tests of a missile engine powered by nuclear fuel.
After that nuclear incident, Egyptians have expressed fears of possible nuclear problems at the Al-Dabaa nuclear power plant.
“All the connection that has been raised is totally misplaced and exaggerated.. there is no connection whatsoever between the test on one of the nuclear fuel missiles in Russia and the nuclear power plants in general, which are one of the peaceful applications of nuclear energy, replete with all nuclear safety systems, active and passive, that do not need any electrical energy to operate.” the authority stated.
The statement mentioned the strong safety factors at Al-Dabaa nuclear plant, illustrating that: “It is of +3 generation, and has a double containment building that can withstand the collision of a plane weighing 400 tons loaded with fuel and flying at a speed of 150 meters per second, and can withstand up to 3.0 seismic wheels and a tsunami up to 14 meters”.
The plant is capable of automatic safe shutdown, without human interference, and is also equipped with the Core Catcher safety system for protection in case of reactor melting, which is “a possibility in no more than 1 in 10 million reactors per year”.
