Romanian state-owned power producer Nuclearelectrica (SNN), which operates the country’s only nuclear power plant – Cernavoda, has received a USD 1.28 mln grant from the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

The company should use the money to identify new potential sites suitable for deploying small and modular nuclear technologies (SMR) outside Cernavoda.

The US and Romania are committed to the development of nuclear energy. According to the 2020 Romanian Energy Strategy Project, the employment of small and modular nuclear reactors might be beneficial to increase energy capacities without CO2 emissions and sources of hydrogen production, after 2035.

Therefore, Nuclearelectrica’s interest is to timely initiate the assessment of potential sites, others than the Cernavoda area, through this USTDA non-refundable grant, the company said in a report to investors on the Bucharest Stock Exchange.

“In addition to the current development of reactors 3 and 4, Nuclearelectrica is also interested in assessing the development of Small Modular Reactors as a long-term solution to further develop the Romanian nuclear industry. We are interested in features like flexibility, modularity and higher efficiency that could provide advantages for both the energy system and businesses after 2035,” said Nuclearelectrica CEO Cosmin Ghita.

(Photo: Nuclearelectrica.ro)

andrei@romania-insider.com