Egypt eyes floating nuclear reactors with Russia
Cairo is discussing the deployment of floating and small modular nuclear reactors with Rosatom.
Egypt is in talks with Russia's Rosatom to potentially deploy floating and small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). These floating plants can generate electricity and thermal energy while also providing large-scale seawater desalination. The discussions signal a potential expansion of Egypt's nuclear strategy beyond the El-Dabaa project.
Rosatom Chief Executive Officer Alexey Likhachev confirmed active discussions on floating nuclear power plants and compact land-based reactors. Floating nuclear power plants are compact reactor units on vessels or offshore barges, designed for coastlines and remote regions without extensive onshore infrastructure. Russia operates the world's first floating nuclear power plant, Akademik Lomonosov, powered by two KLT-40S reactors.
These mobile reactors, potentially based on Rosatom's RITM-200 series, would supply reliable power and desalinated water to Egypt's coastal municipalities and industrial zones. This initiative supports national energy security and carbon reduction goals. Interest in floating nuclear technology is growing globally due to rising baseload power demand from industrial electrification and data centers.
Why it mattersEgypt's coastal regions and industrial zones would receive reliable power and desalinated water from floating nuclear reactors.