Egypt to build nuclear plants

EGYPT said yesterday that it would build several nuclear power plants, moving into the front of a group of nations raising fears of Middle Eastern proliferation with new pushes to develop nuclear energy.

President Hosni Mubarak announced that Egypt was building the power stations to diversify the country’s energy resources and preserve its oil and gas for future generations.

“Energy security is a major part of building the future for this country and an integral part of Egypt’s national security system,” said Mr Mubarak at a ceremony inaugurating the second phase of construction of an electrical power plant north of Cairo.