Egyptian officials have announced the site for the country's first nuclear power plant, settling the controversy over its location.
A presidential spokesman said Wednesday the new plant will be located in el-Dabaa, an area northwest of Cairo on the Mediterranean coast.
Local business officials had criticized the government for considering el-Dabaa, saying a power plant could have a negative impact on the region's tourism.
However, the presidential spokesman says President Hosni Mubarak reached a decision on the site during a meeting with the country's nuclear energy council.
Egyptian officials say the plant should be in operation by 2019. The government also plans to have three other nuclear facilities up and running by 2025.
Power outages across the country in addition to depleting oil and gas resources have forced officials to consider alternative energy solutions.
The government has also begun using solar and wind energy.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
