Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant

During the Communist era, the idea of building a nuclear power plant arose. A first plan to build the power plant on the Olt River with Soviet technology was rejected by Nicolae Ceaușescu as he wanted the country to remain independent of the USSR and avoid potential "energy blackmail". Before the project started, a team of Romanian researchers traveled to the United States in 1968 for an American Nuclear Society conference where they requested approval for the transfer of Canadian nuclear technology to Romania. The United States Atomic Energy Commission s

approved this request in 1970,{{cite web|url=https://www.libertatea.ro/stiri/ungaria-se-plangea-ca-romania-a-amenintat-o-cu-arme-nucleare-in-1989-adevarul-despre-bomba-atomica-a-lui-ceausescu-2858707|title=Ungaria se plângea că România a amenințat-o cu arme nucleare în 1989! Adevărul despre bomba atomică a lui Ceaușescu|language=ro|author=Daniel Ionașcu|newspaper=Libertatea|date=19 January 2020}} and the feasibility study for the future power plant was completed in 1976.{{cite web|url=https://www.nuclearelectrica.ro/despre-noi/history/?lang=en|title=History|website=www.nuclearelectrica.ro}}

The project began in 1978, the same year as the military nuclear program,{{cite web|url=http://www.evz.ro/articole/detalii-articol/513785/Baietelul-lui-Ceausescu-mort-in-fasa/|title='Băiețelul' lui Ceaușescu, mort în fașă"|newspaper=Evenimentul Zilei|date=10 December 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912033052/https://evz.ro/articole/detalii-articol/513785/Baietelul-lui-Ceausescu-mort-in-fasa/|archive-date=12 September 2009}} and the power plant was designed in Canada by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited in the 1980s. The initial plan was to build four units, and schedule their startup from 1985 onward. A fifth unit was subsequently planned on the direct orders of Communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu during a visit to the site.{{Cite web |date=2007-12-11 |title=Misterul reactorului 5 de la Cernavodă |url=https://romanialibera.ro/special/misterul-reactorului-5-de-la-cernavoda-113459/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |newspaper=România liberă |language=ro-RO}} The plant's originally planned units 1 to 4 are in a neat line and unit 5 is offset due to the local geology.{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Security_of_Energy_Supply_in_Europe/HEh7ZPHkaFoC |title=Security of energy supply in Europe: natural gas, nuclear and hydrogen |date=2010 |publisher=Edward Elgar |editor1=François Lévêque|editor2=Jean-Michel Glachant|editor3=Julián Barquín|isbn=978-1-84980-696-1 |location=Cheltenham, UK |oclc=664571319|page=175}} Units 1 and 2 are currently operational. Three more partially completed CANDU reactors exist on the same site, part of a project discontinued at the fall of the Ceaușescu regime, their work being halted since 1 December 1990.

Unit 1, a CANDU 6-type, was finished in 1996 and produces 706.5 MW of electricity. Its scheduled startup would have been circa 1985, had it not been for the economic factors at the time.

It was commissioned and began operating at full power in 1996 and has had capacity factors of 90 percent since 2005.

In 2019 planning was progressing for a modernisation scheme for 30 years of plant life, to be carried out by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power who have experience of CANDU modernisation at Wolseong. A refurbishment outage is expected from December 2026 and December 2028.{{cite news |url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/KHNP-teams-up-with-Sargent-Lundy-for-Romanian-proj |title=KHNP teams up with Sargent & Lundy for Romanian project |publisher=World Nuclear News |date=25 January 2019 |access-date=28 January 2019}} Optimization work was decided in 2022 to be done by Candu Energy Inc.{{cite web | url=https://www.powermag.com/press-releases/snc-lavalin-to-carry-out-performance-optimization-work-for-candu-nuclear-reactor-in-romania/ | title=SNC-Lavalin to carry out performance optimization work for CANDU nuclear reactor in Romania }}

A consortium of AECL and Ansaldo Nucleare of Italy, along with the Nuclearelectrica (SNN) SA, Romania's nuclear public utility, was contracted in 2003 to manage the construction of the partially completed Unit 2 power plant and to commission it into service.

Four years later, Unit 2, another CANDU 6-reactor, achieved criticality on 6 May 2007[http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/industry/080507-Cernavoda_2_achieves_initial_criticality.shtml Cernavoda 2 achieves initial criticality] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930224634/http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/industry/080507-Cernavoda_2_achieves_initial_criticality.shtml |date=September 30, 2007 }} and was connected to the national grid on 7 August. It began operating at full capacity on 12 September 2007,Hotnews.ro, [http://www.hotnews.ro/articol_83813-Reactorul-2-de-la-Cernavoda-a-ajuns-la-capacitate-maxima.htm Reactorul 2 de la Cernavodă a ajuns la capacitate maximă ("The second unit at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant reached at full capacity ")] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015054728/http://www.hotnews.ro/articol_83813-Reactorul-2-de-la-Cernavoda-a-ajuns-la-capacitate-maxima.htm |date=2007-10-15 }}, September 12, 2007 also producing 705,6 MW.

Unit 2 was officially commissioned on October 5, 2007.[http://www.aecl.ca/NewsRoom/News/Press-2007/071005.htm 2007 News Releases - Second CANDU Unit in European Union Officially In Service] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117164603/http://www.aecl.ca/NewsRoom/News/Press-2007/071005.htm |date=November 17, 2007 }} With 2 units active, CNE-Cernavodă Station became the third largest power producer in the country.

Units 3 and 4 were expected to be CANDU 6 reactors with a similar design to Unit 2 and will each have a capacity of ~700 MW.{{cite news|url=http://www.adevarul.ro/financiar/Franta_ar_dori_sa_construiasca_a_doua_centrala_nucleara_din_Romania_-_oficial_francez_0_206979743.html|title=Franța ar dori să construiască a doua centrală nucleară din România – oficial francez| language=ro|newspaper=Adevărul|date= 12 February 2010|access-date=5 January 2025}} The project was estimated to take up to six years after the contracts are signed.

A 2006 feasibility study carried out by Deloitte and Touche determined that the most economically viable scenario was to build the two reactors at the same time, with the cost estimated at €2.3 billion.{{cite web | url=https://www.nucnet.org/news/feasibility-study-proposes-way-forward-for-cernavoda-3-and-4 | title=Feasibility Study Proposes Way Forward for Cernavoda-3 and -4 :: NucNet | the Independent Nuclear News Agency }}{{Cite web |date=August 2019 |title=National Report under the Convention on Nuclear Safety |url=https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/romania_nr-8th-rm.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123092422/https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/romania_nr-8th-rm.pdf |archive-date=23 January 2023 |access-date=15 February 2023 |website=International Atomic Energy Agency}}

On 20 November 2008, Nuclearelectrica, ArcelorMittal, ČEZ, GDF Suez, Enel, Iberdrola, and RWE agreed to set up a joint company dedicated to the completion, commissioning and operation of Units 3 and 4. The company named Energonuclear was registered in March 2009.{{cite news |url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.com/NN/Draft_agreement_finalized_for_Romanian_reactors_070308.html |title=Draft agreement finalized for Romanian reactors |publisher=World Nuclear News |date=2008-03-07 |access-date=2008-03-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414170641/http://www.world-nuclear-news.com/NN/Draft_agreement_finalized_for_Romanian_reactors_070308.html |archive-date=2016-04-14 |url-status=dead }}

20 January 2011, GDF Suez, Iberdrola and [

RWE pulled out of the project, following ČEZ which had already left in 2010, citing "Economic and market-related uncertainties surrounding this project, related for the most part to the present financial crisis, are not reconcilable now with the capital requirements of a new nuclear power project".rwe.com 20 January 2011: [http://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/110504/rwe/investor-relations/news/news-ad-hoc-statements/?pmid=4005782 GDF SUEZ, RWE and Iberdrola have decided not to continue to participate in the Cernavoda nuclear project in Romania] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205033619/https://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/110504/rwe/investor-relations/news/news-ad-hoc-statements/?pmid=4005782 |date=2020-12-05 }} That left Nuclearelectrica with large majority share in the project, prompting a search for other investors. In November 2013, China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) signed an agreement to invest in the project at an undisclosed level. Shortly thereafter, ArcelorMittal and Enel announced plans to sell their stakes.{{cite news| url=https://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE70J0TI20110120 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616172851/http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE70J0TI20110120 | url-status=dead | archive-date=16 June 2012 | work=Reuters | title=Update 2-RWE, Iberdrola, GDF Suez exit Romania nuclear plan | date=20 January 2011}}

In 2016 the Romanian government gave support for the creation of a joint venture led by CGN to progress the project.{{cite news |url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Romania-expresses-support-for-China-role-at-Cernavoda-25011601.html |title=Romania expresses support for China's role at Cernavoda |publisher=World Nuclear News |date=25 January 2016 |access-date=27 January 2016}}{{cite news |url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Romania-and-China-seal-Cernavoda-agreement-10111501.html |title=Romania and China seal Cernavoda agreement |publisher=World Nuclear News |date=10 November 2015 |access-date=6 August 2017}} In November 2015 Nuclearelectrica and CGN signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the construction, operation and decommissioning of Cernavoda 3 and 4.{{cite news |url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Romania-and-USA-agree-to-nuclear-cooperation |title=Romania and USA agree to nuclear cooperation |publisher=World Nuclear News |date=26 September 2019 |access-date=26 September 2019}} However, in January 2020 the government under Ludovic Orban decided to abandon the proposal.{{cite news |url=https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsromania-cancels-china-deal-on-cernavoda-but-proceeds-with-life-extension-7653710 |title=Romania cancels China deal on Cernavoda but proceeds with life extension |publisher=Nuclear Engineering International |date=24 January 2020 |access-date=25 April 2020}}

In October 2020, new plans were launched with cooperation from the United States, Canada, and France.{{ cite news |url=https://intellinews.com/french-orano-to-join-8bn-nuclear-power-plant-expansion-project-in-romania-195122/ |title=French Orano to join $8bn nuclear power plant expansion project in Romania |website=intellinews.com |date=27 October 2020 |access-date=30 October 2020 }}{{cite web | url=https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclearelectrica-expects-to-make-FID-for-Cernavoda | title=Nuclearelectrica expects to make FID for Cernavoda in 2024: Corporate - World Nuclear News }} The two reactors are expected to become functional in 2030 and 2031, respectively.{{cite web | url=https://www.economica.net/decizia-preliminara-de-investitie-in-reactoarele-3-si-4-de-la-cernavoda-asteptata-luna-viitoare-este-conditionata-de-sprijinul-statului_596190.html | title=Decizia Preliminară de Investiție în reactoarele 3 și 4 de la Cernavodă, așteptată luna viitoare. Este condiționată de sprijinul statului | language=ro|date=4 July 2022 }}

File:Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant of Romania in December 2024 on an IAEA IPPAS mission to advise on facility security - 14.jpg

In November 2024, an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract to finish Units 3 and 4 was signed by a joint venture consisting of Fluor, AtkinsRéalis, Ansaldo Nucleare, and Sargent & Lundy Energie. The contract was signed at the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) and is worth €3.2 billion. {{cite web | url= https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/key-cernavoda-3-and-4-engineering-contract-signed | title= World Nuclear News: Key Cernavoda 3 and 4 engineering contract signed | date=15 Nov 2024 }}

There are currently no plans to complete Unit 5 at this time.{{Cite web|url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/industry/080507-Cernavoda_2_achieves_initial_criticality.shtml|title = Cernavoda 2 achieves initial criticality|publisher= World Nuclear News}} However, the possibility of finishing construction remains.

In June 2024, construction work began on the tritium removal facility at Cernavodă. The facility, built by Nuclearelectrica with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, will use technology developed in Romania and will become the third such facility in the world and the first in Europe. The project was started in 2023 after the contract worth $200 million was signed.{{cite web|url=https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Works-begins-on-Romania-s-tritium-removal-facility|title=Works begins on Romania's tritium removal facility|work=world-nuclear-news.org|date=11 June 2024}}

• In mid-2003, the sole operating reactor at the time had to be closed, because of the lack of cooling water. It was brought back online after roughly 2–3 months.
• On 8 April 2009, the second reactor of the Romania's Cernavodă NPP was shut down due to a malfunction which led to electrical outages.[http://www.mediafax.ro/engleza/romania-s-cernavoda-nuclear-plant-restarts-2nd-reactor.html?6966;419216 Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Plant Restarts 2nd Reactor], Mediafax, 2009-04-09
• On 30 May 2009, Unit 1 was shut down following a water pipe crack. The Cernavodă NPP's second unit was undergoing an overhaul, so it was not producing any electricity.[http://www.mediafax.ro/engleza/romania-s-nuclearelectrica-shuts-down-nuke-over-water-pipe-crack.html?6966;4469058 Romania’s Nuclearelectrica Shuts Down Nuke Over Water Pipe Crack], Mediafax 2009-05-30
• On 16 January 2010, the first unit was shut down due to steam leakage.{{cite news |url=http://www.adevarul.ro/financiar/Unitatea_1_a_centralei_de_la_Cernavoda_a_fost_oprita_0_190781275.html |title=Unitatea 1 a centralei de la Cernavodă a fost oprită |access-date=2010-01-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118122639/http://www.adevarul.ro/financiar/Unitatea_1_a_centralei_de_la_Cernavoda_a_fost_oprita_0_190781275.html |archive-date=2010-01-18 }}

{{stack|{{Portal|Romania|Energy|Nuclear technology}}}}

• Energy in Romania
• Nuclear power in Romania
• Atucha Nuclear Power Plant - another heavy water reactor whose construction was completed after decades of interruption

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.cne.ro/ Official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110905232916/http://www.cne.ro/ |date=2011-09-05 }} {{in lang|ro}}
• [http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-75-104-907/science_technology/candu/clip9 CBC clip discussing the construction of the plant]

{{Power stations in Romania}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant}}

Category:Nuclear power stations in Romania

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Category:Nuclear power stations with proposed reactors

Category:Nuclear power stations using CANDU reactors