Unit 1 of Romania's Cernavodă nuclear power plant, operated by Nuclearelectrica (BVB: SNN), was reconnected to the national power grid on July 5 after completing a two-month planned shutdown programme, the company announced. The return of the 700MW reactor is expected to ease pressure on electricity imports during evening peak hours, when solar generation declines.

According to Nuclearelectrica, the shutdown included preventive and corrective maintenance, inspections, mandatory testing, and the implementation of technical upgrade projects.

"The work related to the planned shutdown programme was carried out in safe conditions for the plant's personnel, the public and the environment, according to the approved procedures used at Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant," the company said, as reported by Economica.net.

Unit 1 entered the planned shutdown on May 10.

Commissioned in 1996, Unit 1 has generated more than 149mn MWh of electricity and helped avoid an estimated 145mn tonnes of CO2 emissions. The reactor has maintained a capacity factor of more than 90%, placing it among the world's top-performing nuclear reactors on that measure, according to the company.

Nuclearelectrica operates the two 700MW reactors at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant and the Piteşti Nuclear Fuel Factory, which manufactures CANDU 6 nuclear fuel.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Nuclearelectrica)