Second Nuclear Plant To Be Built Between Fagaras and Talmaciu

Ovidiu Vranceanu, BraŞov

Valica Gorea, the former President of the Nuclear Agency, stated that the most suitable location for Romania"s second nuclear plant was between Fagaras and Talmaciu, on the river Olt. Following site surveys, the short list now comprises sites in the Counties of Brasov, Sibiu, Arad and Cluj. The set of site surveys cost 3.58 million RON and was covered from structural funding. In addition to this project, the Ministry of Economy, represented by the State-controlled company Nuclearelectrica, is planning to expand the Cernavoda Nuclear Plant by two reactors with a capacity in excess of 1,400 MW.

Romania"s second nuclear plant would have between 2 and 4 reactors and be commissioned after the year 2020. The development of the second nuclear plant was announced by then Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu last year. The feasibility study considered five types of nuclear power plants, among the most advanced in the world: EPR 1600 (European Power Reactor, 1600 MW, jointly developed by France and Germany), AP 1000 (a new type of reactor based on pressurized water which can generate up to 1,100 MW), ACR 1000 (a reactor with an installed power of 1,000 MW), ABWR 1300 (an advanced hot water reactor of 1,300 MW) and APR 1400 (a reactor type used in South Korea with a capacity of 1,400 MW).

Romania"s only nuclear power plant for the time being, Cernavoda, has two reactors of some 700 MW each. Other two similar reactors are scheduled for construction until 2015 on a budget of 2.2 billion EUR.