Electricity minister discusses Dabaa plant, SMRs with Rosatom in Russia

Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, met with Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, to review progress on the al-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant and explore cooperation on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

During the meeting, both sides assessed ongoing construction timelines and target schedules, emphasizing coordination between Egyptian and Russian teams to maintain safety and quality standards. Esmat highlighted the strategic importance of the al-Dabaa project in diversifying Egypt’s energy mix, noting steady progress on-site.

Likhachev reaffirmed Rosatom’s commitment to delivering the plant on schedule while emphasizing broader cooperation in technology transfer and training Egyptian personnel to operate nuclear facilities.

Esmat also met with executives from a Rosatom subsidiary specializing in SMR technology to evaluate its application for industrial sectors, remote areas, and future power grids. He underscored Egypt’s interest in integrating SMRs into its long-term energy strategy subject to economic and safety evaluations.