Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) inked a consortium agreement on Oct. 12 with Romania’s nuclear agency, SNN, based in Bucharest, along with Canada’s Candu Energy and Italy’s Ansaldo Nucleare, to collaboratively undertake the equipment improvement project for Romania’s Cernavoda Unit 1.

The project, aimed at enabling continued operation of the Cernavoda Unit 1, is expected to have a total project cost, inclusive of infrastructure construction, amounting to 2.5 trillion won.

This nuclear plant, analogous to South Korea’s Wolseong Units 2, 3, and 4, is based on the CANDU-6 (700 MW) design with a licensed operation span of 30 years. Having initiated commercial operations in 1996, its initial license is slated to expire by the end of 2026. In view of this, a substantial overhaul, including the replacement of pressure tubes and the components of turbines and generators, is planned to commence in 2027 to facilitate an additional 30 years of operation.

Within this consortium, both Candu and Ansaldo will be responsible for the design and procurement of materials for the reactor and turbine generator systems, respectively. Additionally, KHNP will not only oversee the entirety of the construction but will also take charge of infrastructure projects such as radioactive waste storage facilities.

Notably, the anticipated participation of domestic firms such as KEPCO KPS, Doosan Enerbility, Hyundai E&C, and Samsung C&T, along with various small to medium-sized nuclear enterprises, will significantly contribute to the revitalization of the nuclear industry ecosystem.

Hwang Ju-ho, CEO of KHNP, stated, “Having secured a construction project for the tritium removal facility at the Cernavoda nuclear plant last June, KHNP maintains a deep trust relationship with the Romanian nuclear agency.” He added, “Moving forward, we will work closely with the client and consortium members to ensure the final contract’s success.