CAIRO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Wednesday signed a nuclear fuel purchase order and a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Russia's state-owned Rosatom for Egypt's first nuclear power plant at El-Dabaa, the Egyptian cabinet said in a statement.

The purchase order is to supply nuclear fuel for the plant's first reactor core, marking the project's readiness for further implementation, whereas the cooperation agreement includes joint work in medical isotopes production for cancer treatment, it said.

The signing coincided with a ceremony to install the reactor pressure vessel for the plant's first reactor unit, which was witnessed via videoconference by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Al-Sisi described the step as "the first page of Egypt's nuclear energy project," reflecting "strategic and stable relations between Egypt and Russia, built on mutual respect."

He said the project signals Egypt's full-speed advancement in nuclear energy.

Putin called the partnership "a great honor and privilege," which has opened new horizons for expertise exchange.

He noted that 100 Egyptian students have received nuclear training in Russian universities, and the plant's first reactor unit will generate 460 megawatts of electricity.

Located in Matrouh province, the El-Dabaa plant will comprise four reactor units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts. Russia is financing 85 percent of the 28.75-billion-U.S.-dollar project through a 22-year loan.

Atomstroyexport serves as the general contractor, with Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority overseeing the construction, which began in July 2022. Enditem