Key facts
- Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority accused Rosatom of "deliberate negligence" and safety failures at the El Dabaa nuclear plant.
- The allegations include "defects" in multiple reactor units and violations of "nuclear safety culture."
- Confidential documents suggest construction delays and engineering concerns from Rosatom's own reviews.
- Rosatom denies the allegations, stating it upholds the highest levels of nuclear safety.
- The El Dabaa project uses the same technology as Hungary's Paks II nuclear plant, raising EU concerns.
Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority has accused Russia's state-controlled Rosatom of "deliberate negligence" and significant safety failures at the El Dabaa nuclear power plant project, according to a confidential letter obtained by POLITICO. The letter, dated June 4, details "defects" in multiple reactor units and violations of "nuclear safety culture," raising concerns about the project's integrity.
These allegations are particularly significant as El Dabaa uses the same technology as Hungary's Paks II nuclear plant, a Kremlin-backed expansion that has been a point of contention between Budapest and the European Commission. The accusations could further complicate Rosatom's efforts to maintain its standing as a reliable supplier in the European nuclear market, especially following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Rosatom, in response, stated that it upholds the highest levels of nuclear safety and has paid sustained attention to the project, with regular attendance from Russian, Egyptian, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials. However, the company declined to comment on the specific letter or the complaints from the Egyptian authority. The European Commission stated it was not aware of the confidential documents but emphasized that nuclear safety is the responsibility of the EU member state concerned.
The Egyptian authority's letter also describes "misleading methods" and "fictitious work" by Rosatom to claim the plant is over halfway complete, despite visual evidence to the contrary. It further alleges an unprofessional workplace culture, including the possession of alcoholic beverages, forged passes, and unauthorized access, as well as photos and videos of the construction site appearing on social media. A serious accident involving a worker suffering a severe open fracture was allegedly covered up by being moved to a private vehicle instead of an ambulance.
Four additional internal Rosatom business documents reviewed by POLITICO corroborate some of the Egyptian authority's concerns, detailing delays, quality problems, and project management failures. One internal audit warned of a "significant risk of failure to fulfill" contractual obligations and projected an 18-month slip in the schedule for the first reactor unit, pushing its completion from September 2028 to March 2030. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has stated that all four reactors are expected to be finished by 2030, with the first unit beginning power production by 2028.