Installation of 5th reactor containment tier starts at El Dabaa nuclear plant

Installation of the fifth tier of the reactor building inner containment of the first unit at Egypt’s El Dabaa nuclear power plant has started, the Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) said on Saturday.

The inner containment structure is a cylindrical structure housing the nuclear reactor and equipment belonging to the plant’s primary circuit. The fifth level consists of 12 prefabricated sections manufactured at the El Dabaa nuclear power plant site.

Each section is 7.5 meters high and weighs between 40 and 45 tons, depending on its structural components, the authority said.

Installation of the fifth tier is expected to be completed within two weeks. The sections will then be assembled to form a complete circular ring of the inner containment structure. A heavy-duty crane with a lifting capacity of 2,200 tons is being used for the work.

A team of specialists with extensive experience in the field is carrying out the installation, with all work being conducted in line with the highest international quality and safety standards.

The work is subject to detailed inspection and testing by NPPA monitoring and supervision teams, following completion of all regulatory procedures and requirements set by the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority, ensuring the highest levels of safety, security and quality during installation, the authority said.

NPPA Chairman Sherif Helmy said the start of installation of the fifth tier reflected continued efforts, close coordination and effective cooperation with Russian partner Atomstroyexport, alongside full commitment to the highest standards of quality, safety and nuclear security throughout the project.

“The progress achieved at the El Dabaa nuclear power plant was the result of the professional and dedicated work of NPPA monitoring and supervision teams, as well as installation, engineering and design teams from the project’s Russian general contractor, Atomstroyexport, ensuring the highest levels of quality and safety,” Helmy said.

Vice President of AtomStroyexport and Director of the Dabaa Construction Project Alexey Kononenko said the start of the fifth-level installation marked an important construction milestone for the first unit.

Progress on the structure was the result of the dedicated work of workers, technicians, supervisors, engineers, designers and specialists from various fields involved in the project, as well as effective cooperation with the Egyptian side, the project owner, Kononenko said.