Feasibility of nuclear power and desalination on El-Dabaa site

Due to the limited fossil fuel energy resources and the almost fully utilized hydro energy, Egypt has been considering for sometime the various options for satisfying the increasing demand for electricity, including nuclear energy. At the same time, Egypt is largely dependent on the River Nile for the supply of its fresh water needs. The annual Nile water coming to Egypt was fixed by the Nile Water Agreement, concluded in 1959 between Egypt and Sudan to 55.5 billion m3. Due to the increase of population and the constant fresh water resources, the annual renewable fresh water per capita decreased from 2560 m3 in 1955 (classified as water abundant country) to 1123 m3 in 1990 (classified as water stressed country). In 1997, the Egyptian fresh water per capita fell below 1000 m3, indicating that it has become a water scarce country. In the past 30 years desalination plants of various sizes and technologies have been introduced to Egypt as a solution to the problem of limited natural fresh water resources in remote and isolated areas, as well as for industrial applications. Demand on desalination technologies will continue to increase in all sectors, particularly in the industrial, power and tourist sectors, and for all types of feed water including sea, brackish, industrial waste and possibly agricultural drainage water. However, desalination technologies are investment-intensive and, generally, economic on large scale. In this regard, a nuclear reactor providing electricity to the grid can in principle provide also electricity and/or heat to a desalination plant. The Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) submitted in 1997 a project request, under the IAEA regular programme of technical co-operation for 1999–2000, to carry out a feasibility study of nuclear power and desalination plant on El-Dabaa site. The feasibility study was carried out from January 1999 to May 2001 and was updated in 2003. This paper summarizes the main findings of the feasibility study.