Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat said on Tuesday that integrating seawater desalination with nuclear power generation represents an advanced global trend capable of opening new horizons for sustainable development, while strengthening water security and maximising the returns from strategic national projects.
The minister made the remarks during a videoconference meeting with Kseniya Sukhotina, General Director of Rusatom Smart Utilities, a subsidiary of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, to review progress on the development of an integrated seawater desalination complex at the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant site.
During the meeting, Minister Esmat reviewed the standards, regulations and technical requirements for establishing the desalination facility in integration with the plant’s infrastructure, as well as the next steps towards finalising the project’s technical and economic solutions.
Discussions also covered implementation requirements and the deployment of Rosatom’s advanced technologies and specialised expertise.
The meeting examined ways to maximise the project’s economic and environmental value through the recovery and utilisation of salts and minerals from desalination by-products.
Subject to specialised technical and economic studies, these resources could support new industries and related projects, creating additional value from the desalination process.
Minister Esmat further stressed that Egypt-Russia strategic co-operation and longstanding bilateral relations provide a strong foundation for maximising the economic benefits of the El Dabaa project.
He highlighted efforts to localise industries, components and equipment supporting desalination projects, expand Egyptian companies’ participation in supply chains, facilitate technology transfer, raise local content and develop a specialised industrial base capable of meeting domestic demand and eventually serving regional markets.
He added that the project will help secure water supplies while supporting development in El Dabaa and surrounding areas, including urban expansion and economic and industrial activity, within Egypt’s sustainable development framework.
