Bucharest, October 8, 2025 – RBJ – Nuclearelectrica Romania signed two agreements with the subsidiaries of the French group EDF. The first agreement, signed with Arabelle Solutions, aims to advance the retrofitting works of Unit 1 at CNE Cernavoda. The second agreement, concluded with Framatome, focuses on the development of the medical radioisotope project. According to the company, these agreements are aligned with SNN’s investment strategy and its objective to position the Romanian nuclear industry at the forefront of current and future global trends in the nuclear field. Arabelle Solutions will provide equipment and services for the retrofit of the turbo-generator of Unit 1 of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, as part of the retrofit of Unit 1 and, consequently, the extension of its service life by another 30 years, starting with 2029. The retrofit of Unit 1 of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant is in the second phase of development, mainly focused on engineering, procurement, permits, financing, planning and infrastructure construction.
Nuclearelectrica has already started civil construction for the retrofit of Unit 1. Unit 1, as established during the third and final implementation phase, will be disconnected from the grid in 2027 and recommissioned in 2029. It will continue to safely deliver, 24/7, 5 million MWh/year and avoid 5 million tons of CO2/year, while developing the supply chain and providing hundreds of jobs.
“Our goal is to provide Romania with energy security, clean energy and standards of excellence through international partnerships, expertise and local and national development. We have taken essential steps in developing SNN’s strategic projects in 2024 and 2025. Through our strategies and projects, we want to contribute not only to energy security and the achievement of decarbonization and ESG objectives, but also in areas where nuclear energy can prove its usefulness. As a critical aspect for supporting all our projects, we are equally concerned with cultivating a new generation of specialists in Romania”, said Cosmin Ghiță, General Manager of Nuclearelectrica.
The agreement with Framatome establishes the framework in which Framatome and SNN will collaborate to implement the production of Lutetium 177 medical radioisotopes at CNE Cernavoda, the operation of the equipment and infrastructure resulting from the implementation of this project and, in the future, the development of other projects related to the production of medical radioisotopes.
Initiated in 2024, as part of Nuclearelectrica’s long-term strategy to capitalize on the additional advantages of nuclear energy production and to provide the medical industry with much-needed medical radioisotopes, the IRIS (Innovative Romanian Isotope System) project has now entered into effective implementation, with Nuclearelectrica and Framatome’s objective being the launch of the commercial irradiation service in 2028. Over 10,000 medical units worldwide, totaling approximately 49 million radioisotope procedures/year and over 1,500 medical units in the EU, with 10 million procedures/year, provide a clear dimension of the need and role of radioisotopes, therefore the contribution that Nuclearelectrica can make is all the more important, Lutetium 177 being an essential isotope in cancer treatment.
“The year 2025 is significant in terms of the development and advancement of projects at Nuclearelectrica. We are aligned with our established schedule and each agreement is intended to take both the Unit 1 retrofit and the IRIS project one step closer to completion. We are partnering with top global professionals, such as Arabelle Solutions and Framatome, to provide energy security, security of supply, clean energy, through the Unit 1 retrofit, but also radioisotopes for the medical community, and, simultaneously, added value for our shareholders. We are here to demonstrate the full range of benefits of the Romanian nuclear industry”, says Cosmin Ghiță, General Manager of Nuclearelectrica.
“We are proud to support the Unit 1 retrofit at Cernavoda, a project of strategic importance for Romania’s energy future. This contract reflects our commitment to providing proven, reliable and innovative technologies that enable the safe and long-term operation of nuclear assets, while providing future generations with reliable, low-carbon electricity,” explains Catherine Cornand, CEO of Arabelle Solutions.
“This agreement underlines Framatome and Nuclearelectrica’s commitment to strengthening the supply chain of life-saving radioisotopes in Europe and around the world,” said Grégoire Ponchon, CEO of Framatome. “Framatome is proud to leverage its expertise in the fight against cancer and contribute to facilitating mass access to nuclear medicine.”
In a global context where energy security, decarbonization and technological innovation are strategic imperatives, Nuclearelectrica is accelerating its investments in expanding production capacities and developing unique projects at European level.
