Russia's NCCP to supply Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority low-enriched nuclear fuels components

Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP) has signed a 10-year contract with the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority for the supply of low-enriched nuclear fuel components, such as aluminium and uranium items, for the ETRR-2 research reactor. NCCP is a subsidiary of Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL.

Oleg Grigoriyev, TVEL's senior vice president for commerce and international business, said: “the latest contract was a logical follow-up to several contracts for shipments of fuel components to Egypt fulfilled by NCCP over the last three years.”

ETRR-2 - located in Inshas, 60 km north-west of Cairo - is an Argentinian-designed 22 MWt research reactor that started up in 1997. According to INVAP, the Argentinian state-owned applied research company that supplied and built the reactor, it is an open pool reactor that uses fuel made of 19.75% enriched uranium alloy. The multipurpose reactor is used for radioisotope production and research on neutron physics, materials science, nuclear fuel, and boron neutron capture therapy.

Egypt plans to build four Russian-designed VVER-1200 reactors at El Dabaa for electricity generation and water desalination. Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority last year received a site approval permit for El Dabaa, which is on the Mediterranean coast, from the Egyptian Nuclear Regulation and Radiological Authority.

TVEL said it will supply fuel to all four units for the entire operation of the plant, under a fuel contract that came into force in 2017. TVEL's Central Design and Technological Institute subsidiary has been subcontracted for a project to construct the storage facility for used nuclear fuel from the plant.