It is expected that 85 percent of the project cost will be financed through a Russian loan CAIRO: The Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) confirmed that a permit is expected to be issued for construction of the Dabaa nuclear power plant site in the second half of 2021. It will be Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, and will be built in the city of Dabaa in Matrouh governorate, about 130 km northwest of Cairo. NPPA Chairman Amjad Al-Wakeel said a permit request to accept construction was issued on March 10, 2019, to start construction of the plant with a capacity of 4,800 MW. It will be built by Russia’s Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corp. at a cost of more than $25 billion. It is expected that 85 percent of the project cost will be financed through a Russian loan that Egypt will start repaying in October 2029 through semi-annual instalments over 22 years at an interest rate of 3 percent. Egypt’s government will cover the rest of the cost, whether from the public treasury or through local banks. The plant’s four reactors will be equipped with the latest safety systems. After additional safety standards have been added, they will have an unprecedented ability to resist massive accidents, such as the collision of a 400-ton aircraft at a speed 150 meters per second. This type of reactor is also characterized by its safe operation without any negative effects on the surrounding environment. It ensures no radiation leakage through multiple filters and barriers, and contains a modern automatic control system.