El Dabaa unit 1: fourth-tier reactor building concreting and internal containment installation progress

Reactor building and internal containment milestones

Concreting work for the fourth tier of unit 1 at the El Dabaa NPP has been completed after continuing non-stop for 30 hours, using five concrete pump trucks with boom distributors.

The Nuclear Power Plants Authority said about 80 specialists worked during the day shift, another 80 during the night shift, and 20 additional staff continued around the clock to support construction equipment and machinery.

The total volume of concrete poured was 1,608 cubic metres, contributing to raising the height of the reactor building from 24.4 metres above ground to 34.0 metres.

Atomstroyexport JSC said completion of the installation of the fourth tier of the El Dabaa NPP reactor building’s internal containment vessel marks a milestone for unit 1 construction and supports plans to begin installing the fifth tier by mid-August.

Atomstroyexport JSC linked the fifth tier to subsequent work that will serve as a support for the polar crane.

Non-stop concreting: 30 hours
Concrete pumping equipment: five pump trucks with boom distributors
Workforce deployment: 80 specialists (day), 80 (night), and 20 around the clock
Concrete volume: 1,608 cubic metres
Reactor building height increase: 24.4 m to 34.0 m
Internal containment: fourth tier vessel installation completed; fifth-tier installation planned by mid-August

Context on contracting, fuel-cycle scope, and early operations support

The project is described as Egypt’s first nuclear power plant and its first in Africa since South Africa’s Koeberg.

El Dabaa is being developed by the Rosatom-led effort about 320 kilometres north-west of Cairo, with four VVER-1200 units planned.

The source states that under the 2017 contracts Rosatom will build the plant and supply Russian nuclear fuel for the entire life cycle, including building a storage facility and supplying containers for storing used nuclear fuel.

The same contractual framework also includes assistance to Egyptian partners with training personnel and plant maintenance for the first 10 years of operation.

The VVER-1200 design referenced includes two containment buildings—an inner and an outer—which are stated to provide extra safety and protection from external impacts.

Project: four VVER-1200 units
Contracts reference (2017): plant construction plus Russian nuclear fuel supply for the full life cycle
Fuel-cycle support includes used fuel storage facility and containers
First 10 years: training and plant maintenance assistance

India reviews power sector cooperation with Sri Lanka and Bhutan

Bilateral review with Sri Lanka

India reviewed bilateral cooperation in the power sector with Sri Lanka, with talks focusing on the progress of the proposed India-Sri Lanka high voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnection.

The discussions also addressed the Sampur Solar Power Project and broader arrangements for cross-border electricity trade, renewable energy, transmission infrastructure, and capacity building.

Hydropower and transmission connectivity with Bhutan

India also reviewed cooperation with Bhutan in hydropower development and cross-border electricity trade, alongside transmission connectivity, renewable energy, and institutional cooperation.

The review included discussion of key hydropower projects such as Punatsangchhu-I, Punatsangchhu-II, Sankosh, and Chukha, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthen cooperation through continued dialogue and timely implementation of mutually beneficial initiatives.

NTPC Green Energy Limited secures part of WBSEDCL standalone BESS tender

NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), a subsidiary of NTPC Limited, has secured 200 MW/800 MWh of standalone battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity in West Bengal. The award was based on a discovered tariff of Rs 435,000 per MW per month, following an e-reverse auction process.

The tender, conducted by West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL), covers the development of 500 MW/2,000 MWh of standalone BESS capacity in West Bengal. Procurement is described as tariff-based competitive bidding, with NGEL winning a portion of the overall capacity offered under the tender.

From a supply-chain perspective, the procurement structure centers on tariff discovery through a competitive e-reverse mechanism and a defined, MW/MWh scope for standalone storage capacity. Such specifications can influence downstream equipment sourcing and delivery planning tied to the project’s capacity and duration-related tariff terms.