RSS
USTDA awards 14 million USD grant to RoPower, Nuclearelectrica's SMR Project Company
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a 14 million US dollars grant to support RoPower Nuclear SA (RoPower), the Project Company for the development of small modular reactors (SMR), recently established by Nuclearelectrica and Nova Power&Gas.
According to a release of SN Nuclearelectrica SA, the grant will be used for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) study to advance the development project of Romania's first SMR nuclear power plant.
"The preliminary study will include key project development elements such as a layout and plot plan for the site, a budget estimate, and an environmental impact analysis execution plan. The FEED study builds on a recently completed 1.2 million US dollars USTDA study that identified suitable sites, technology options, and a licensing roadmap for the SMR project. The FEED study will incorporate the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) SEED (Site and External Events Design) mission requested by Nuclearelectrica in august 2022," according to the release.
CEO of Nuclearelectrica Cosmin Ghita said that through this new grant provided by the USRDA, Romania is seen as a trustworthy and experienced partner to implement the first SMR of Europe.
"The first power plant based on the NuScale SMR design is expected to begin operation in the United States by the end of the decade. The USTDA-funded FEED study will facilitate the deployment of this design to Romania by focusing on its adaptation to site-specific requirements at the preferred site Doicesti Power Station, which is the location of a former coal-fired power plant," the release informs.
Nuclearelectrica mentiones that the SMR plant, which would also be the first one in Europe, will contribute to the achievement of Romania's clean energy transition and energy security goals. RoPower, Nuclearelectrica's SMR project company, selected Oregon-based NuScale Power OVS, LLC, in order to carry out the FEED study. The U.S. Department of State contributed funding toward USTDA's grant award.