9 Feb (NucNet): Canada and Romania have signed a contract for services related to completion of units 3 and 4 at Romania’s Cernavoda nuclear power plant.
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) and Romania’s EnergoNuclear said yesterday that the contract is for the assessment of the “technical and commercial viability” and planning of Cernavoda-3 and -4. AECL will provide consultancy services covering nuclear safety and engineering to define what is needed to complete the project.
Dan Ionescu, general manager of EnergoNuclear, said the contract was a “significant step towards completion of the units”.
EnergoNuclear was formed in March 2009 to undertake the construction, commissioning and operation of the new Cernavoda units. The company is 51 percent owned by Romanian-utility Nuclearelectrica, along with joint venture partners Czech utility CEZ, France’s GDF-Suez, Italy's Enel, Germany's RWE Power, Spain's Iberdrola and steel producer ArcelorMittal.
The Cernavoda site was designed for five identical 655-megawatt pressurised heavy water reactor units. But a lack of financial resources and a drop in power demand in the early 1990s resulted in the suspension of construction work on units 3, 4 and 5. Efforts were instead concentrated on the completion of Cernavoda-1 and -2.
However, in November 2007 binding offers were formally accepted from six companies for the completion and commissioning of units 3 and 4.
Cernavoda-1 has been in commercial operation since 1996. Cernavoda-2 began commercial operation in 2007.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Romania Confirms Six Companies To Complete Cernavoda Units (News No. 238, 10 November 2007)
Draft Investment Agreement For Completion Of Cernavoda Units (News in Brief No. 26, 6 March 2008)
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