Dr. Amjad El-Wakeel, chairman of the Egyptian Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA), announced that the sites of Al- Nigela 1 and 2 in Matrouh Governorate, which were chosen to construct new nuclear reactors in the future, are among the most promising sites for the establishment of nuclear projects.
The chairman added, “Initial feasibility studies were recently conducted with the aim of completing the studies on Nigela 1 and 2, which were previously conducted by the global company (Worley Parsons), which is one of the largest global consulting firms in the construction of nuclear plants.”
El-Wakeel considered them to be distinguished sites for the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs), which are currently relied upon due to the time, effort and expense savings they provide, as they are characterized by their speed of implementation and their cost is very low compared to conventional reactors.
He explained that the construction of small nuclear reactors takes a period of 2 to 3 years, with a production capacity of 10 MW to 400 MW. An SMR is characterized by flexibility and the ability to construct more than one reactor at the same time, providing large total electrical power production.
He also revealed that the authority is currently studying the use of SMR technology that are developed by several major countries. Most notably the US, Korea, and Russia.
The Egyptian nuclear project will start with the construction of the first 4 units of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant, which accommodates the construction of 8 units, and they will be constructed in succession, in addition to the sites of Al- Nigela 1 and 2, which are ideal for the small modular reactor units, according to the head of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority of Egypt.
