OREANDA-NEWS. March 27, 2008. Egyptian-Russian University (ERU) is planning to open a department for training specialists in the field of construction and operation of nuclear power plants. It will be the first such department in the Middle East, says the rector of ERU Sherif Helmi.  
ERU was opened in the suburb of Cairo, Badr City, on Oct 1 2006, on the initiative of a group of Egyptian investors – graduates of Russian and Soviet universities. Presently, ERU has almost 600 students.

“We will be the only university in the Middle East to have a department training engineers for nuclear power plants,” sasy Helmi.

The administration of the university has already coordinated the program of the department with a number of Russian universities. “The department already exists, its program has been coordinated with a number of Russian universities,” says Halmi.

He hopes that not only Egyptians but youths from the other Arab countries planning to build nuclear power plants will study at the department. Freshmen will be trained by Egyptian specialists but for senior students the university is planning to invite lecturers from Russia.

Helmi says that he has invited the head of Rosenergoatom Concern Alexander Lokshin to give a lecture for Egyptian specialists and students on Apr 12: “We hope that he will tell us about the advanced technologies and equipment used in the nuclear industry.”

In Oct 2007 President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak gave a start to a program to build nuclear power plants in the country. He said that NPPs would meet Egypt’s energy needs and would help the country to diversify its energy sources.
 
The first Egyptian NPP is supposed to be launched in eight years. Energy and Electricity Minister of Egypt Hasan Younis estimates that the project will cost some \\$1.5bln-2bln. The relevant tender will be announced this year.

During the Mar 24–26 visit of President Mubarak to Moscow Russia and Egypt signed an agreement for cooperation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy. This agreement paves the way for Russian companies’ participation in the future tenders for the construction of NPPs in Egypt.