USTDA awards 14 million USD grant to Nuclearelectrica’s project company for the development of small modular reactors in Romania

Nuclearelectrica announces that on October 27th, 2022, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a grant of 14 million USD to RoPower Nuclear SA (RoPower), the project company for the development of the small modular reactors recently established by Nuclearelectrica and Nova Power & Gas. The grant will be used for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) study to advance the development project of Romania’s first SMR nuclear power plant.

The preliminary study will include key project development elements such as a layout and plot plan for the site, a budget estimate, and an environmental impact analysis execution plan. The FEED study builds on a recently completed 1.2 million USD USTDA study that identified suitable sites, technology options, and a licensing roadmap for the SMR project. The FEED study will incorporate the recommendations of the IAEA SEED mission requested by Nuclearelectrica in august 2022.

“We are following through on a commitment that President Biden made during the launch of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment in June, when he announced U.S. government support for this important small modular reactor project in Romania,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “Multiple U.S. government agencies and the U.S. private sector are working in partnership with Romania to achieve its energy security and climate objectives. Together, we are advancing ambitious and consequential projects that are shaping a cleaner and more secure energy future for Eastern Europe and the world”.

“Through this new grant offered by USTDA, we are proud Romania is recognized as a trustworthy and experienced partner in deploying the first SMR in Europe,” said Cosmin Ghita, CEO of Nuclearelectrica. “We come with 26 years of experience in safe nuclear operations and more than 50 years of experience in nuclear industry development; we have an experienced regulator and a reliable supply chain, as well as a professional educational system in technology and engineering. We have all the assets and we stand ready with United States, following our countries’ more than 50 years of partnership in the nuclear field, to deploy the most advanced civil nuclear technology and promote the benefits of nuclear energy as an affordable, clean, reliable and resilient source of energy.”

The first power plant based on the NuScale SMR design is expected to begin operation in the United States by the end of the decade. The USTDA-funded FEED study will facilitate the deployment of this design to Romania by focusing on its adaptation to site-specific requirements at the preferred site Doicesti Power Station, which is the location of a former coal-fired power plant.