UN Watchdog Backs Egypt Nuclear Power Plans

22 June 2010 (Last Updated June 22nd, 2010 18:30)

The UN nuclear watchdog is ready to cooperate with plans to build nuclear power plants in Egypt, the head of the UN body said. Egypt said it planned to build four plants by 2025 and inaugurate the first in 2019 in an effort to reduce Egypt's reliance on oil and gas. Officials

The UN nuclear watchdog is ready to cooperate with plans to build nuclear power plants in Egypt, the head of the UN body said.

Egypt said it planned to build four plants by 2025 and inaugurate the first in 2019 in an effort to reduce Egypt's reliance on oil and gas.

Officials hope the programme will add a further capacity of up to 4,000MW, reports Reuters.

"The IAEA is very happy to cooperate with Egypt in its project of introducing nuclear power. Now Egypt is finalising its plan to choose the site for its nuclear plant," said International Atomic Energy Agency head Yukiya Amano.

Egypt signed a nuclear power consultancy deal with Australia's WorleyParsons last year.

The deal includes looking for potential locations and updating studies on the Dabaa site on the Mediterranean coast, where Egypt planned to build a power station in the 1980s.

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