What does Sisi-Putin latest nuclear plant deal mean for Egypt, Russia?

Cairo and Moscow advanced construction of Egypt’s nuclear power plant on Tuesday in the latest sign of continued Egypt-Russia cooperation and Russia’s nuclear energy ambitions in the Middle East.

Via video conference, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin witnessed the concrete-pouring event marking the beginning of construction on the plant’s fourth reactor, the Egyptian state-owned news outlet Al-Ahram reported.

Russia and Egypt signed a deal in 2015 to build the plant, the first of its kind in the country. Dabaa is being constructed by Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom at a cost of $30 billion. It will produce 4.8 gigawatts of power when done, according to Reuters.

Construction is estimated to be completed by 2028 and Dabaa will be able to supply around 10% of Egypt’s electricity consumption, the Russian government said on Tuesday.