A 20 MW small modular reactor (SMR) project developed by the US company Last Energy has received pre-authorization from the Romanian Commission for the Control of Nuclear Activities, enabling it to enter the licensing phase. This project is also part of the first list of initiatives under the European Alliance for SMR.
According to the initial list published by the European Alliance, Romania plans to develop three SMR projects. Among these, the most prominent is the initiative by RoPower Nuclear, a joint venture between Nuclearelectrica and Nova Power and Gas, which intends to build an SMR plant using NuScale technology in Doicesti.
Additionally, the National Institute for Nuclear Research and Development (RATEN) is collaborating with various European companies on a less publicized project involving small modular reactors utilizing advanced liquid metal technology (SMR-LFR).
Last Energy’s Project Quantum, the third initiative on the list, has garnered less attention in Romania. This project involves a 20 MW SMR that is based on existing military reactor designs. This approach allows for quicker industrial-scale production of units for civil use once authorized.
Last Energy has announced that it has already signed over 80 commercial agreements, with 30 of these focused on supplying power to data centers. The company aims to construct 10,000 such units over the next 15 years.
