Romania Cleared to Complete Cernavoda Nuclear Projects

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The proposed completion of Romania's stalled Cernavoda nuclear power projects has been given a clean bill of health by the European Commission (EC).

The EC has issued a "positive opinion" related to the safety and technical aspects of the construction of units 3 and 4 at Cernavoda nuclear power plant, clearing the way for the projects to progress. Under the Euratom Treaty, nuclear project developers are required to notify the Commission of planned investments and to demonstrate compliance with the highest nuclear safety standards. Energonuclear, the nuclear subsidiary of Romania's state-owned energy company Nuclearelectrica (Bucharest), notified the Commission in May 2023. The projects are worth more than US$7 billion in investment.

Original work on the partially constructed units 3 and 4 at Cernavoda was carried out in the 1980s under the Communist-led government of President Nicolae Ceausescu before civil war in 1989 ended his rule and halted the projects. The projects lay dormant for decades, and numerous previous attempts to finish them had failed. Energonuclear progressed plans last year to construct two Canadian-designed Candu-6 pressurized heavy water reactors at units 3 and 4, each with a generating capacity of 700 megawatts (MW). Unit 3 will be commissioned in 2030, with Unit 4 following a year later. The current Cernavoda plant is Romania's only nuclear facility, with two 650-MW CANDU reactors installed in 1996 and 2007. Unit I is also expected to have its life extended to 60 years.

Romania's Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja welcomed the news: "Today the European Commission confirms our progress and the construction of the two new reactors moves to the next stage. Reactors 3 and 4 represent key pillars of the national energy strategy, the two units will make an essential contribution in ensuring energy security at national and regional level. We are talking about production in the clean energy band, with zero emissions. Our country needs big projects, and Romania's expertise in nuclear engineering makes us responsible for carrying on the tradition of 40 years of safe technology. I support a balanced energy mix, which would solve the energy trilemma in exactly this order: safe energy, affordable energy and green energy. I have dedicated significant resources in the first 12 months of my term as Minister to accelerate our country's nuclear program, which includes the re-engineering of Unit 1, the construction of SMRs and, last but not least, the project of Units 3 and 4 at Cernavoda."

In March, Industrial Info reported that Romania was fast-tracking plans to install its first small modular reactor (SMR), using technology from NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE:SMR) (Portland, Oregon). Since 2021, Romania has set out to be the first European country to install SMR technology. It aims to deploy a NuScale six-module, 462-MW power plant at the former Doicesti power plant as early as 2028-29. For additional information, see March 26, 2024, article - Romania to Fast-Track Plans for NuScale Small Nuclear Reactor.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).