Ansaldo Nucleare to revamp, expand Romanian NPP

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Ansaldo Nucleare and Romania’s Nuclearelectrica aims at extending the life of Unit 1 of Nuclearelectrica’s Cernavoda nuclear plant, Ansaldo Energia said in a press release on Thursday.

Under the deal, Ansaldo Nucleare will also help Nuclearelectrica complete Units 3 and 4 of the plant.

Under the agreement, Ansaldo Nucleare will be responsible for the engineering and procurement of components for the life extension of Unit 1 in consortium with Canada’s Candu Energy and South Korea’s Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Corporation (KHNP).

“The refurbishment of Cernavoda NPP Unit 1 and the completion of Units 3 and 4 will lead after 2031 to generating approximately 66% of Romania’s clean energy," Cosmin Ghita, Nuclearelectrica CEO, said.

In February 2022, Nuclearelectrica’s shareholders approved a 1.85 billion euro project aimed at the refurbishment of Cernavoda’s Unit 1.

Cernavoda, Romania's sole nuclear power plant, generates roughly a fifth of the country's electricity output, according to data published on Nuclearelectrica’s website.

Candu Energy is a subsidiary of Canadian multinational engineering, design, planning, architectural design, project management and consulting services group AtkinsRealis.

KHNP has a portfolio of 25 nuclear plants, 21 hydro plants, 16 small hydro plants, 16 pumped storage plants, 55 solar plants and one wind farm.

Nuclearelectrica shares traded 0.51% higher at 48.9 lei as at 1144 CET on Friday on the Bucharest Stock Exchange.