Egypt and Russia just signed an intergovernmental agreement for the construction of the Egypt’s first nuclear power plant.

The infrastructure is to have four generators each producing 1200 MW for a total capacity of 4800 MW, Russian agency Tass reveals.

Based in Dabaa, the plant will be the biggest project to associate Egypt and Russia since the Assouan dam. “With this infrastructure, Egypt will become the regional leader in terms of nuclear technologies and will also become the only country in the region to have a 3+ plant,” said Sergey Kiriyenko who runs Rosatom, Russia’s nuclear regulatory institution.

Construction of the plant which was planned to start in December 2015 will last 12 years. Moscow is to supply the infrastructure in fuel.

Aaron Akinocho