The Final Investment Decision for the Doicești SMR project marks the transition from the analysis phase to the implementation phase, consolidating Romania's position at the forefront of the new European nuclear industry, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan believes.
„The Final Investment Decision for the SMR project at Doicești marks the transition from the analysis phase to the implementation phase, reinforcing Romania's position at the forefront of the new European nuclear industry. We are replacing 600 MW of a former thermal power plant with 462 MW of clean, stable and predictable energy. Around 4,000 jobs will be generated in the development phase, in construction, production and component assembly, and in the long term we are talking about stable, well-paid jobs and the development of a Romanian horizontal industry”, the minister said in a statement issued by Nuclearelectrica.
According to him, over the next six months, the project will enter a phase of financial structuring and partnership building, during which financing mechanisms will be defined and discussions with potential investors for the execution phase will be advanced.
The shareholders of Nuclearelectrica approved, on Thursday, the final investment decision for the Doicești Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project. According to the company, with this decision, Romania marks the most advanced step at European level in the development of a SMR project.
„The Doicești Small Modular Reactors (SMR) project is the project through which Romania is positioning itself on the international map of the nuclear industry, through know-how and the development of the supply chain, at a stage of the energy transition in which, at global and European level, modular reactors represent a solution to ensure energy security and independence. International reports confirm that the global SMR portfolio has grown by 65% from 2021 to a planned capacity of 22 gigawatts. So, globally, SMRs have become a reality of security of supply and decarbonization: accepted, developed, accelerated”, said Cosmin Ghiță, General Manager SN Nuclearelectrica SA.
According to the company's release, by May 2026, RoPower Nuclear (the project company) will carry out a number of activities leading up to Stage 3 (Pre-EPC), including completing geotechnical investigations, continuing the licensing process, finalizing Pre-EPC contract negotiation, negotiating contracts for long-cycle materials, defining supply chains for materials and equipment, and preparing the organization for the Pre-EPC and EPC phases.
Phase 3 - Pre-EPC will have an estimated duration of 15 months and will, among other things, focus on the identification of contractors and contractual structure for contracts such as Pre-EPC contract, extension of the technology license agreement with NuScale; contracts on environmental impact assessment, etc.
In parallel with these technical stages, work will continue in the coming period on structuring the project's investment and financial framework in preparation for the execution phase. The objective is for the project to become operational at the beginning of the next decade, in compliance with all applicable corporate approvals and regulatory frameworks, the press release underlines.
„Nuclear energy cannot be missing from the energy mix of a highly industrialized country. SMR technology is the most modern and safest nuclear power generation technology. We are proud to be part of this project with our company, Nova Power & Gas, and I am convinced that together with our American partners we will find solutions to make the project technically and economically successful”said Teofil Mureșan, founder and president of CA E-INFRA.
Valentin Ovidiu Nae, Managing Director of RoPower Nuclear, believes that this project is an opportunity for Romania to demonstrate once again that it is in the area of excellence in the production of energy using nuclear technology.
„The Doicești project means 60 years of clean energy. The RoPower team is a team of professionals that has worked and will work for a safe and technologically advanced Small Modular Reactors project. We will remain committed to this project, which is an opportunity for Romania to demonstrate once again that it is in the zone of excellence in energy production using nuclear technology”said Nae.
The SMR project at Doicești, in which SNN holds a 50% share in the project company RoPower Nuclear SA, was effectively started, after the technology and site selection process had been completed, in September 2022, once the AGA approved the project implementation strategy. In 2023 and 2024, the initial FEED 1 and FEED 2 technical analysis phases, mandatory in a nuclear project, were completed, when independent IAEA assessment missions were carried out on the selected site, the conclusions of which confirmed the steps taken and led to the implementation of additional measures. FEED 2 was completed on schedule and under budget.
The SMR project will replace the 600 MW installed in the former Doicești thermal power plant with 462 MW of clean energy. Around 4,000 jobs will be available during the development period: 200 permanent jobs, 1,500 during the construction period, 2,300 jobs in the production and assembly of components, plus the development of a related industry and the attraction of associated investment.