10 Oct (NucNet): US multinational GE Power has won a contract to deliver the turbine island equipment for the planned El Dabaa nuclear power station west of Cairo in Egypt, the company said on 9 October 2018.
GE Power did not say how much the contract was worth. The company said it had won the contract through AAEM, its joint venture with Russia’s state-owned nuclear equipment manufacturer Atomenergomash.
GE Power will supply the basic design of four conventional islands, four nuclear turbine generator sets, including the Arabelle half-speed steam turbines, and technical expertise for onsite installation and commissioning.
The Arabelle steam turbine has been in operation for 18 years. GE Power said it is adaptable to all reactor types and produces 2% more power output than traditional configurations. The French nuclear fleet’s Arabelle steam turbines have “a demonstrated reliability rate of 99.96% over more than 400,000 operating hours”.
The first nuclear reactor unit at the planned four-unit El-Dabaa nuclear station is scheduled to begin commercial operation in 2026, Russian plant supplier Rosatom said in December 2017. Rosatom confirmed the schedule following the signing of notices to proceed with contracts for the construction of the four Generation III+ VVER-1200 units.
Rosatom will build four VVER-1200 reactors at El Dabaa and supply nuclear fuel throughout the station’s lifetime. The company will train personnel and help its Egyptian partners with operation and maintenance during the first 10 years of the station’s operation.
In 2015 Russia and Egypt signed an initial agreement to collaborate on the construction and operation of El Dabaa. Russia will lend Egypt $25bn for the project, Russian news agency RIA Novosti said.
According to GE Power, electricity demand in Egypt has increased rapidly as a result of the country’s growing population and increasing industrial activity. It is estimated that an additional 1.5 GW of new generating capacity will be needed each year – a 6% increase year-on-year until 2022.
Once in operation, El Dabaa will produce 4.8 GW, enough to power more than four million homes, GE Power.
