Romania, the first E2 center for SMR simulators, within the FIRST Program, of the US

By rbj
The United States will provide Romania with a small nuclear reactor simulator (SMR) so that Romania can set up an E2 Center at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, according to a statement from the US Embassy in Romania.
“The United States and Romania are pleased to announce a new dimension in their Strategic Partnership through the FIRST Program – Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology. Under the FIRST program, the United States will provide Romania with a nuclear reactor simulator. SME, so that Romania can set up an E2 Center at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest The E2 Center will help advance Romania’s goals of becoming a leader in the safe and secure deployment of small modular reactors (SMR) and the creation of This announcement comes as a result of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement on Romania’s Nuclear Energy Program (IGA), signed in December 2020, which strengthened a closer relationship. many decades in the field of civilian nuclear power development, “the statement said.
According to the quoted source, the FIRST program supports the leading role of Romania, as the first country in the region to use SMR technology. This is a first step, but a huge technological step in improving actions to prevent climate change, energy security, and access to energy across Europe and the world, the statement said.
Today, I am pleased to fulfill the commitment we made to the Nuclear Futures Package, which we announced at the COP 26 conference in November, to provide Romania with an SMR simulator to Supports Romania’s ambitious nuclear energy program and its goal of becoming a regional SMR center There is no better partner than Romania in the region I am very pleased that today we are entering a new era, improving Romania’s nuclear energy infrastructure with an SMR simulator NuScale Power at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, to support the development of education and the workforce, based on the FIRST Program, Romania is very involved in the development of the first SMR reactor in the region and the fact that it uses scientific, engineering and technological skills as a starting point. a guarantee that our nuclear program based on new technologies will provide the experience needed to set the highest standards nuclear safety and security standards. I hope that this will encourage the younger generations to join the development of SMR in Romania and in the region, “said Bonnie Jenkins, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.
Building on more than 60 years of American nuclear innovation and expertise, the FIRST program provides assistance to capacity building partner countries as they develop their civilian nuclear energy programs to meet their clean energy needs, with compliance with the highest international standards in the field of nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation. At the 2021 World Climate Change Leaders Summit, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the FIRST Program as one of the key efforts of the United States to promote innovation, properly develop clean energy technologies, and build unprecedented global cooperation. , in order to face the climate crisis.
“This project is just the latest example of cooperation between the United States and Romania, which collaborates in a wide range of fields, and takes place in the year that celebrates 25 years since the signing of the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership.” shows in the quoted document.
The Minister of Energy, Virgil Popescu, announced on Monday that the old Doiceşti thermal power plant is the best location for the first small reactor (SMR) in Romania.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Energy, the site was identified following an in-depth study of $ 1.2 million in funds received by Nuclearelectrica in early 2021, under a grant from the USTDA to identify and evaluate various sites. for the implementation of small modular reactors in Romania.