Unit 1 of Nuclearelectrica in Cernavoda to stop for two years, as of 2026, for retooling

Unit 1 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant will be halted as of 2026 for retooling works, which will take two years and will extend its service life by 30 years, Romeo Urjan, the head of the Technical and Retooling Division of Nuclearelectrica stated on Monday accoeding to Agerpres.

"As of 2026, Unit 1 of Cernavoda will stop for the actual works. Until then, we are making all the necessary preparations. We will make a feasibility study which will be concluded by 2021 and then we will carry out the demarches for the procurement of the equipment, which need to be ordered 3-4-5 years prior, being specific products," Urjan told a profile conference.

According to him the feasibility study will say the exact value of the investment, which, according to estimates, ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion Euro.

"After two years of retooling, Unit 1 will function for another 30 years. Thus we will have a plant as good as new for another 30 years, as opposed to the costs of a new plant, which would be double or even triple. The economic advantage is therefore clear," the Nuclearelectrica official added.

Nuclearelectrica operates the Nuclear Power Plant of Cernavoda, where two CANDU 6-type reactors are working, with a total power of 1,400 MW. They ensure approximately 20 percent of the national production of electricity.

Unit 1 was put into service in 1996, and Unit 2 in 2007.