Romanian Minister of Energy Virgil Popeascu announced that the first small modular reactor (SMR) in Romania, and in the world, will be located in Doicesti, Dambovita country, at the site of the former coal-fired thermal power plant.
The site was identified following an in-depth and thorough examination process conducted within a 1.2 million dollars USTDA grant awarded to Nuclearelectrica in early 2021, to identify and assess several sites across Romania for SMR deployment.
Nuclearelectrica’s CEO Cosmin Ghita said that the former Doicesti power plant achieved all the qualifications in terms of safety, appropriate for NuScale’s design and the most advanced criteria and safety principles. The deployment of NuScale’s small-scale modular reactor at the Doicesti site will have proven energy security and environmental benefits through the generation of safe, stable, affordable and clean emission-free energy. In addition, the project will bring direct socio-economic benefits to the community it serves and generate continued prosperity for the industry and regional economy.
He added that Nuclearelectrica is planning to add some solar power plants at the location as well. All in all, a total of around 600 MW in installed capacity between the two technologies is planned at the site.
Romania, in cooperation with US partner NuScale, plans to complete the construction of the first commercial SMR in 2027-2028, close to the date when unit 1 of its nuclear power plant Cernavoda, with an installed capacity of 700 MWh, will be shut down for rehabilitation works.
