Nuclearelectrica signs MOU to support Romanian SMR development

22 November 2022


Romanian nuclear utility Nuclearelectrica announced at the IAEA Atoms4Climate pavilion at COP 27, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between RoPower Nuclear and Donalam SRL, part of European steel producer AFV Beltrame Group.

RoPower is a joint venture between Romania’s state-controlled nuclear energy giant Nuclearelectrica and private power group Nova Power & Gas, which is part of the E-Infra group which owns the Doicesti coal plant site which is due to be transformed to feature six power modules supplied by US firm NuScale for a generating capacity of 462MWe.

The objective of the MOU is to explore cooperation and investment opportunities in support of the development of the first SMR project in Romania, which could impact green steel production in Romania. The two companies also joined the United Nations 24/7 Carbon Free Energy Compact, committing to the UN's 24/7 principles in support of the UN's goal of accelerating the electricity system, mitigating climate change and to ensure access to clean energy at affordable prices.

"Nuclearelectrica is committed to implementing the first small-sized modular reactor project in Europe, alongside the Cernavoda NPP unit 1 refurbishment project and the Cernavoda units 3&4 project, to the highest standards of nuclear safety and environmental sustainability,” said Cosmin Ghita, CEO of Nuclearelectrica and Chairman of the RoPower Nuclear Board of Directors. “In this context, we are happy to announce a new step in our approach, a potential new partner in RoPower, Donalam SRL, part of the AFV Beltrame group, one of the most important steel producers in Europe… AFV Beltrame Group shares the same commitment to sustainability as we do and understands the role of nuclear power produced by SMRs in achieving international climate change goals while ensuring energy security with a clean, stable, affordable and resilient energy source.”

He added: "Furthermore, as our vision to create a sustainable future for future generations is fully aligned with the principles of the United Nations 24/7 Carbon Free Energy Compact, we are proud to join the Coalition and further support the decarbonization of Romania's electricity system by implementing nuclear energy technologies without carbon emissions, both on a small scale and on a large scale."

Carlo Beltrame, CEO France and Romania & Business Development Manager at AFV Beltrame Group noted: "We are fully committed to fulfilling our vision for a sustainable business and turning into reality our ambitious investment plans for our operations in Romania - the Calarasi and Targoviste plants, with sustainability being a Group-wide priority. Energy security has recently become a topic of great relevance. Our plan to build, in the near future, the photovoltaic park in Targoviste, as well as the partnership with RoPower, are two of the solutions to ensure our access to sustainable energy at affordable prices in the long term."

Nuclearelectrica noted that SMRs will be implemented with both high-capacity reactors and renewable sources and that the SMR project will also provide for the addition of a solar production capacity within the same energy complex. “The joint nuclear and renewable solution would represent not only optimal generation capacity with the possibility to vary output, but also a vision of generation sources for the electricity grid of the future.”

RoPower is “firmly committed to developing a state-of-the-art power plant with a strong commitment to nuclear safety and environmental sustainability, which will be achieved both by replacing a former coal-fired facility with clean energy production and through partnerships with companies that have switched or plan to switch to sustainable production to significantly reduce their carbon footprint”.

AFV Beltrame Group, founded in 1896, is one of the largest producers of steel bars and special steels in Europe. The group has seven factories in Italy, France, Switzerland and Romania, with a total of more than 2,500 employees, more than 2 million tons of steel sold annually and commercial activities in more than 40 countries. The Romanian branch of the AFV Beltrame group, Donalam SRL, has two production units: the one in Calarasi, with over 15 years of activity in the production of hot-rolled steel bars and, starting from February 2022, the factory in Targoviste – where, in June 2022, concrete steel production was restarted.


Image: The MoU was signed at the recent COP27 meeting in Egypt (courtesy of Nuclearelectrica)



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