Concerns about nuclear waste from the Daba’a power plant dominated debate at the state-sponsored public consultations held in Marsa Matrouh on Saturday, according to Al Mal. Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker reassured citizens that the 4800 MW nuclear power plant being developed in partnership with Russia’s Rosatom will use the latest technology and safety precautions and that nuclear waste will be disposed of in accordance with international benchmarks, the newspaper adds. According to Shaker, the plant will be able to withstand the impact with a 400 tonne plane falling at a speed of 150 meters per second.

The project’s location was not a random choice, but a calculated decision based on dozens of tests and studies that determined the stability of the earth in the area, Environmental Affairs Agency chief Mona Kamal said.

Shaker told attendees that two of the four contracts for the plant have been finalized and two others should be reviewed over the next few weeks, but refused to give any specific deadline, Al Mal says. The contracts are expected to be signed in March, previous reports suggested. The Electricity Minister said that he intends to hold more meetings with community leaders at which he would delve deeper into the terms of the government’s contract with Rosatom. Shaker said the project will not only diversify Egypt’s energy sources, but provide “tens of thousands” of job opportunities for the locals over eight years of construction

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin will reportedly be in Cairo this week with a delegation from the Russian Energy Ministry, sources tell Al Ahram. The Russian ministers of foreign affairs and defense will also visit Egypt early in March for cooperation talks.