BACKGROUND

The project of CANDU Units 3 and 4 is set out in the Energy Strategy of Romania 2019-2030, with perspective of 2050, as well as in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Change Plan, as a pillar of Romania’s energy independence, and of fulfilling all the decarbonization targets undertaken by Romania as a EU Member State.

The intention of the Romanian State and of SNN, according to the new strategy, is to implement this ~2×700 MWe project in a European-Atlantic consortium, in virtue of the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the United States of America on the cooperation in relation to the nuclear-energy projects at Cernavoda, and in the civil nuclear energy sector of Romania, signed in October 2020 in Washington DC by the governments of USA and Romania, subsequently approved by EC and ratified by the Parliament of Romania in July 2021. Also, there is interest from USA, by US Exim, to finance Romanian energy projects, including nuclear, with 7 billion dollars.

Romania needs new electricity production capabilities as a solution for the transition to an economy with low carbon emissions, while providing simultaneously stability, safety, availability in the NES, as well as social and economic benefits. The Project for Units 3 and 4 of Cernavoda NPP has all the premises to provide all these benefits.

With the implementation of the project, the contribution of nuclear power in the total energy production, at national level, will be of 36 %, and the contribution of nuclear power in the total energy production without CO2 emissions of 66 %, at the same time with the development of the internal supply chain, and other collateral industries.

The Romanian nuclear industry has the experience and capability to participate, with important works and service,s in the new project at Cernavoda, experience acquired already from the commissioning and providing the maintenance for the two nuclear units.

DESCRIPTION

Construction of 2 more CANDU 6 units on the site of the Cernavoda NPP

CAPACITY

700 MW/Unit; 1400 MW/2 units

STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION

Stage 1, the current one, started at the end of 2021, represents the preparatory stage, which initiated by capitalizing and operationalizing the project company, Energonuclear S.A. This stage will last for 24 months, during which services of technical, legal and financial support will be contracted, as well as engineering services for updating the technical procurement Specification, launching and assigning the EPC contract (Engineering, Procurement and Construction), and the performance of the necessary studies and assessments, required to substantiate a preliminary decision on making the investment.

On November 25, 2021, Energonuclear S.A., the project company, signed the first contract with Candu Energy, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group and the Authority for Designing Units 3 and 4 and OEM Candu (the Original Manufacturer of the Candu Technology). Within the contract, CANDU Energy will provide engineering services for drafting and updating the necessary documentation for initiating the Project of Units CANDU 3 and 4 (among which, updating the main licensing documents, updating the nuclear security guides, updating the list of project modifications with nuclear security functions, etc.).

Stage 2 of the project (Preliminary Works) consists of performing preliminary works from Phase 1 of the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract, and will last for 18-24 months. This stage will involve the performance of engineering works and analyses of the markets regarding the suppliers of equipment and the providers of services that are necessary for implementing the project, so that at the end of this stage, the Project feasibility is refined. Also in this stage, the documentations for obtaining permits and approvals will be submitted, including from the European Commission, in virtue of Article 41 of the Euroatom Treaty. At the end of this stage, the feasibility of the Project will be re-analyzed based on the new technical-economic indicators, and the Final Investment Decision will be made, which will allow the Project to move to Stage 3.

Stage 3 of the project actually consists of performing the building, assembly and startup works at the site, stage estimated to last 69-78 months. It is estimated that Unit 3 will be commissioned in 2030, with the commissioning of Unit 4 to follow in 2031.

COMMISSIONING

Unit 3-2030

Unit 4-2031

ESTIMATED COST

7 billion EURO

FINANCING STRUCTURE

The financing structure shall be decided in stage 2

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS

66 % contribution of clean energy, at national level

Over 19,000 jobs in the industry

TONS OF CO2 AVOIDED

5 million tons of CO2 avoided/unit/year

20 million tons of CO2 avoided/4 units/year