Cairo: Electricity and Renewable Energy Minister Mahmoud Esmat engaged in discussions with Alexey Kononenko, Deputy Head of Russia's Atomstroyexport and project director of the Dabaa nuclear power plant, to foster collaboration and elevate local manufacturing within Egypt's nuclear program.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting concentrated on localizing components for the Dabaa plant and other nuclear projects in the Middle East. This initiative aligns with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's directives to bolster domestic industry and facilitate the transfer of advanced technologies.

Esmat highlighted Egypt's ambition to increase the local production of essential electrical and nuclear components, such as reactor containment parts and cooling system joints. Currently, Egyptian labor constitutes approximately 80% of the project workforce.

The discussions also covered the project's progress, training programs for Egyptian technicians, and preparations for the installation of the turbine generator for the first reactor, expected to occur by the end of the year.

Esmat emphasized that the Dabaa project is consistent with Egypt's peaceful nuclear energy strategy and its long-term objectives to diversify electricity generation sources and decrease reliance on fossil fuels.