By RBJ
Nuclearelectrica SA and Nova Power & Gas SRL launch RoPower Nuclear SA, the project company for the development of small modular reactors in Romania, on the site of the former coal-fired power plant in Doicești, Dâmbovița county, according to a press release sent by the Ministry of Energy.
Jose W. Fernandez, the US Undersecretary for Economic Development, Energy and Environment and the Minister of Energy of Romania, Virgil Popescu, attended the signing ceremony of the Shareholders’ Declaration, at the Ministry of Energy of Romania.
“I welcome and support the new steps for the implementation in Romania of the first SMR plant in Europe, now achieved by the launch of the project company RoPower Nuclear and the signing of the shareholders’ declaration by the two companies, Nuclearelectrica & Nova Power & Gas. The project is an example of the successful relations between Romania and the USA in the field of nuclear energy, which bring many benefits, in particular, economic stability and energy security. I thank our American partners and the United States Under Secretary for Economic Development, Energy and Environment, United States Department of State, Jose W. Fernandez, for supporting and supporting bilateral cooperation on nuclear energy programs. I also reiterate the fact that the Government of Romania supports this important project, which will contribute to the consolidation of energy security and energy independence for our country and neighboring countries”, said Virgil Popescu, Minister of Energy.
The project company RoPower Nuclear SA, owned in equal parts by SC Nuclearelectrica SA and Nova Power & Gas SA, will take steps to implement the first NuScale VOYGR-6 power plant (462 MWe) in Romania this decade. The power plant will use NuScale Power Module technology from NuScale, the only SMR company to obtain design approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The installed capacity can also be supplemented with renewable sources, with a capacity of approx. 80MWe, which would make the new energy complex exceed the capacity of the former plant in Doicești. The joint nuclear and renewable solution will represent not only an optimal production capacity, with the possibility to vary the production, but also a new vision of the generation sources for the national energy system of the future.
“We are proud that we will develop a safe power plant in Romania, which offers clean and cost-effective energy, while at the same time bringing multiple benefits to the local community. Having energy independence and energy security as the highest goals, Romania will be able to be a leader for the development of small modular reactors in the region, and the new company, RoPower Nuclear, an example of good practices in the implementation of the highest standards of nuclear security and productivity and performance, as is the CNE Cernavoda plant, for over 25 years”, Cosmin Ghiță, CEO of Nuclearelectrica.
Following the allocation of a $14 million grant announced by US President Joe Biden in June 2022, project company RoPower Nuclear will begin the Preliminary Phase of the Initial Engineering and Design Study (FEED Study) for small modular reactors (SMRs), which consists of in a series of engineering and design activities and studies, in-depth technical analyzes on site, as well as licensing and authorization activities, in compliance with all international and national standards. In addition, within the FEED Study, the IAEA recommendations will be applied, following the SEED mission in August 2022.
The new project company RoPower Nuclear SA, will generate over 200 permanent jobs in the power plant, 1,500 jobs in construction, 2,300 jobs in production and will help Romania avoid over 4 million tons of emissions CO2 per year, bringing, at the same time, many other socio-economic benefits to the local community. To begin with, the project company RoPower Nuclear SA will be based in Doicești, following the commitment to contribute to the development of the local community.
- In March 2019, Nuclearelectrica and NuScale signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to evaluate the development, authorization and construction of a small modular reactor (SMR) in Romania.
- On October 9, 2020, Romania signed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) in the field of nuclear energy with the United States, which was also ratified by the Romanian Parliament, according to Law no. 199/2021, having broad support and being adopted with a majority of votes.
- Moreover, in October 2020, US Exim Bank expressed, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concluded with the Romanian Ministry of Energy, its interest in financing important energy investment projects in Romania, including nuclear ones, worth total of 7 billion dollars.
- In early 2021, Nuclearelectrica received $1.2 million in funding from USTDA to identify and evaluate potential sites for small modular reactors. In May 2022, after the completion of the study, several suitable potential sites were identified. The site of the former thermal power plant in Doicești, Dâmbovița County, Romania, has been qualified as a candidate site for further in-depth studies and developments.
- On May 24, 2022, Nuclearelectrica, NuScale and E-Infra (the owner of the site) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to analyze the development of the first small modular reactor (SMR) in Romania on the site of the former thermal power plant in Doicești, county The lady
• In June 2022, US President Joe Biden announced the allocation of a $14 million grant for the next stage of NuScale Small Modular Reactor development in Romania – the preliminary engineering and initial design (FEED) study for the SMR project in Romania. The FEED study consists of a series of activities and engineering and design studies, technical analyzes of the site, as well as licensing and authorization activities, which will be carried out on the site of the former Doicești power plant, in compliance with international and national standards. In addition, within the FEED Study, IAEA recommendations will be applied, following the IAEA Site Design and External Events (SEED) mission carried out in August 2022, at the request of
