U.S. and Romania announce progress in Small Modular Reactor project

U.S. and Romanian officials celebrated a new milestone in the country's flagship small modular reactor (SMR) project during the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC) Ministerial in Bucharest, attended by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins, U.S. Trade and Development Agency Director Enoh T. Ebong, and Romania's Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja.

The event marked the signing of an agreement between U.S. group Fluor Corporation and Romania's RoPower for the second phase of the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study. This phase is crucial for moving the SMR project, which utilizes NuScale technology, toward a final investment decision and subsequent construction.

The first phase of the FEED study was completed in late 2023 with funding from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, the U.S. Department of State, the Government of Romania, and NuScale Power.

The SMR project, set to be deployed in 2029, will replace a former coal plant in Doicești, providing clean, carbon-free power, creating jobs, and promoting economic growth.

The project aims to make Romania a leader in clean energy in the region. It is expected to generate approximately 200 permanent jobs at the plant, 1,500 construction jobs, and 2,300 manufacturing jobs, significantly impacting the local and national economy, according to Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja.

(Photo source: Facebook/Sebastian Burduja)