Romania's Cernavoda NPP Unit 2 to be disconnected from grid Thursday

The works aim to improve the reliability of the systems of Unit 2 during the winter period, as per the preventive maintenance programme, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

In compliance with the nuclear safety standards, such proactive and controlled interventions can only be performed with the reactor in a safe shutdown mode, Nuclearelectrica noted.

The checks and maintenance works will not have any adverse impact on nuclear safety, the operating personnel, the population and the environment, it added.

The reconnection of the NPP2 to the National Power Grid will take place after the completion of the test and potential interventions which may be required in such situations, as per the procedures of the power plant.

Nuclearelectrica's net profit leapt to 225.3 million lei ($56.4 million/48.4 million euro) in the first nine months of 2017, driven by increased electricity output and sales.

The Cernavoda power plant, located in southeastern Romania, has two units of 700 megawatts each, which cover roughly a fifth of the country's electricity needs.

Nuclearelectrica shares traded 0.54% lower at 7.4 lei by 1113 CET on Wednesday on the Bucharest bourse.

The energy ministry owns a 82.49% stake in Nuclearelectrica.

(1 euro =4.6344 Romanian lei)