Egypt expects the first shipment of nuclear fuel for the operation of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant to arrive in May 2027, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat said in a televised interview with anchor Lamis El Hadidy on October 11.

Esmat added that the plant operates under the oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with safety protocols covering the transportation, storage, and use of nuclear fuel.

The plant is designed to generate 4,800 megawatts (MW) of electricity and save approximately eight billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually by reducing reliance on fossil fuels, according to the minister.

Esmat said the plant is expected to operate for 40 to 60 years, with the first two units scheduled to connect to the national electricity grid by the end of 2028, followed by the remaining two units in 2029.

The minister also highlighted efforts to expand renewable energy, particularly solar power, by encouraging households and businesses to install solar panels.

El Dabaa is Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, located in Matrouh Governorate on the Mediterranean coast. Developed by Russia’s Rosatom, the project comprises four reactors and aims to diversify Egypt’s energy mix and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.