Egypt goes nuclear, UPDATE, Turkey too

While the world worries about Iran's nuclear program, Egypt has announced their plans to build three nuclear power plants by 2020, the first to be operational within 10 years. This is good news for China and Russia, who are now working in Iran on their nuclear sites. 'According to contested reports, Egypt has been in negotiations with Russia since April 2005 over a contract to build the El-Dabaa plant.'

The Egyptian government announced plans to build a nuclear energy plant on the country's Mediterranean coast last week, confirming analysts' predictions that the Iranian nuclear standoff would spark a new wave of nuclear development in the region.

Gamal Mubarak, son and heir apparent of President Hosni Mubarak, made the announcement during a 19 September speech to the ruling National Democratic Party's (NDP) annual conference.

Electricity and Energy Minister Hassan Younes confirmed in an interview with the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper on Monday that Egypt would have an operational nuclear power plant within ten years of the project's launch.

Younes said the initial plan called for the construction of a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant at El-Dabaa, 100km west of Alexandria, at an estimated cost of US$1.5 billion. The minister confirmed that Egypt would look for foreign investors to help fund the plan.

The independent Al Masry Al Youm newspaper, quoting unnamed officials, on Sunday said the government planned to build three nuclear power plants by 2020 with a combined capacity of 1,800 megawatts. source

The fact that Mubarak's son made these announcements indicates that his son, Gamal, is being groomed to take his father's place.

Mubarak's decision to allow his son to announce the resumption of the country's nuclear program is the latest in a series of steps designed to further boost Gamal's public profile ... Depending on the health of the elder Mubarak, this transition may occur in the 2011 presidential election campaign. ... "The ruling family - [mother] Suzanne and Hosni Mubarak, especially Suzanne - wants Gamal to be the successor of Hosni. But there is great resistance in the country,"

I'm not sure what Washington's view of this development will be. When we finally pull out of Iraq, we may not have any permanent bases there if congress has their way. 'Congress is on the verge of barring the construction of permanent bases for U.S. forces in Iraq, a move aimed at quelling concerns in the Arab world that American forces will remain in the war-torn country indefinitely.' via LATimes and Alternative News Points.

There is also buzz that the 'United States is considering moving its Selliya military base out of Qatar. Qatar has recently been having trouble with Saudi Arabia, particularly over the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, and Doha has close ties to Tehran.' via The Agonist and Stratfor

Another interesting turn of events, 'there are some suggestions that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Saudi King Abdullah (which Olmert has denied) or Prince Bandar bin Sultan ... The Saudi-Israeli contacts and Egypt's initiative to restart its civilian nuclear program appear to be early signs of the way in which the Arab states are maneuvering to constrain Iran.' via Stratfor and The Agonist

As I stated yesterday, the Middle East countries are trying to figure out where each stands on current situations, like Iran, Iraq, the Palestinians, Israel. See "Middle East, Arab nations in a quandary".

The news from Gaza is that a 63 percent-majority of Palestinians polled favors emulating Hizbullah by launching rockets at Israeli cities, compared with 35 percent who oppose this view. Yet, three-quarters or more of polled Palestinians also favor a cease-fire and do not believe that armed action alone will solve the conflict with Israel. This determination of the Palestinians to overcome Israel's multiple defensive barriers, walls and fences expresses itself even as Saudi Arabia seems determined to go ahead with an ambitious plan of its own to build a 900-kilometer wall or fence along the entire length of its border with Iraq, as a way to prevent terrorists from entering the kingdom. source

More on Saudi Arabia's fence plans here. Those poll results on Palestinians just shows how confused folks are about what needs to be done in the region.

Egypt currently uses oil and gas for generating their electricity, but say nuclear power would be much cheaper.
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UPDATE: Add Turke to the going nuclear group. Hat tip Mid East Youth

Turkey has a good energy case for going ahead with the three plants it plans to build by 2015.

According to the CIA World Factbook, Turkey is estimated to produce 50,000 barrels of oil per day yet it consumes 700,000 barrels per day.

Egypt is oil-richer. It has reserves of some 2.7 billion barrels, according to the CIA, produces 700,000 barrels per day and is estimated to consume about 500,000 per day.

One factor calming down the strategic fears is that neither Egypt nor Turkey is talking, as Iran is, about developing an indigenous uranium enrichment capability.source

Comments

[Dorg]

Nuclear is being phased out in Europe for fears of accidents and of nuclear waste. Like cement factories, slowly the dirty work is being done cheap in the developing world and the products exported, wether cement, electricity, or any other product of environmentaly hazardous industries./Dorg

[shlemazl]

Four reasons why Egypt should not have nuclear power plants:

1. The price tag of 2Billion is too low. Where are they going to cut corners?

2. Makes no economic sense for a non-nuclear country to build NPPs. Even nuclear powers are finding it risky and economically difficult.

3. They will aquire expertise, which will make it easier to manufacture nuclear weapons.

4. I don't see how they can prevent a terrorist attack from within.

[Angel]

O spiffy more nuclear developments from the ones we can trust..NOT. great updates Debbie! :)