Rosatom faces nuclear safety allegations at Egypt plant, raising EU concerns

In a letter sent to a Rosatom representative on June 4, Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority detailed a series of problems at El Dabaa, including structural defects and failures to uphold a culture of nuclear safety.

The documents cite problems across several reactor units. They identify defects in the foundation slabs of Units 1, 2 and 3, as well as problems with concrete structures at Unit 4. Egyptian officials also reported voids behind the structures’ metal cladding.

The letter accused one project official of “deliberate negligence.”

It also alleged that Rosatom used methods that made the project appear further along than it was. Egyptian officials assessed that work on the main structures had yet to progress beyond the below-ground phase.

The documents describe additional problems with site management, including forged access passes, unauthorized entry and the circulation of photos and videos from the construction site.

They also detail an accident in which a worker suffered a severe compound fracture. Egyptian officials said the worker was transported in a private car rather than a properly equipped ambulance.

Rosatom rejected the allegations, saying the El Dabaa plant “is being built in accordance with the approved design, the requirements of the Egyptian regulator and international engineering standards.”

The dispute has drawn particular attention because Rosatom is also building two reactor units at Hungary’s Paks II nuclear plant. Like the El Dabaa units, they will use VVER-1200 technology. The allegations in Egypt could intensify debate over the Russian contractor’s reliability, Politico reported.

Paks II is strategically important to Hungary, which plans to use the new units to modernize its nuclear power generation and maintain a stable electricity supply. The project has long generated political controversy in the European Union because of its ties to Russia and Rosatom.

Rosatom maintains that its VVER-1200 technology “meets modern safety requirements.”