en.Wedoany.com Reported - Romanian nuclear power company Nuclearelectrica announced significant progress in the refurbishment project for Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, with the completion of foundation concrete pouring for its Intermediate Radioactive Waste Storage Facility. This facility is one of the key supporting infrastructure elements for the Unit 1 life extension refurbishment project.
Approximately 3,470 cubic meters of concrete were used for this foundation pour, equivalent to the transport volume of about 380 concrete mixer trucks. Nuclearelectrica stated that this was the most complex operation of its kind carried out at the site since the construction of Cernavoda NPP Unit 2.
The new Intermediate Radioactive Waste Storage Facility will be used for the treatment, processing, and temporary storage of relevant waste, including waste generated during the Unit 1 refurbishment process, as well as waste produced during the long-term commercial operation of both units at the Cernavoda NPP. The construction of this facility is considered a critical link in ensuring the long-term safe operation of the plant and the smooth implementation of the refurbishment project.
Nuclearelectrica CEO Cosmin Ghiță stated that pouring the first concrete for the infrastructure required for the Unit 1 refurbishment project holds significance comparable to the first concrete poured during the original construction of Unit 1. Unit 1 has been operating for nearly 30 years under high nuclear safety standards and world-leading capacity factor levels. Following refurbishment, it is expected to continue operating for another 30 years starting from 2030.
Ghiță pointed out that this project will provide crucial support for Romania's energy security over the next 30 years, delivering approximately 5 million MWh of electricity annually and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 5 million tons per year, making it a project of strategic importance for Romania's energy security.
Cernavoda NPP is Romania's only nuclear power plant, currently housing two 650 MW class CANDU heavy water reactors. Unit 1 entered commercial operation in 1996, and Unit 2 in 2007. The Unit 1 refurbishment project was initiated in 2017 and is currently in the second of three phases, the implementation preparation phase; the project is scheduled to enter the third phase in 2027, when Unit 1 will be shut down for refurbishment work.
CANDU units are pressurized heavy water reactors, typically designed for an operating life of 30 years, which can be extended by approximately another 30 years after refurbishment. The refurbishment includes replacing key reactor components such as steam generators, pressure tubes, calandria tubes, and feeder pipes. During refurbishment, all fuel and heavy water must be removed from the reactor, and it must be isolated from the rest of the plant systems before disassembly; meanwhile, thousands of components must be inspected, and all 480 fuel channels and 960 feeder pipes replaced during the high-precision reconstruction process.
In December 2024, Nuclearelectrica signed an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contract worth approximately €1.9 billion with a consortium consisting of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, AtkinsRéalis' Candu Energy, Canadian Commercial Corporation, and Ansaldo Nucleare. In September 2025, following approval from the Romanian nuclear regulatory body CNCAN for the construction of the Intermediate Radioactive Waste Storage Facility, related civil engineering works officially commenced. The company stated that expanding intermediate storage capacity for low and intermediate level waste is an important prerequisite for supporting the long-term operation of Cernavoda NPP.
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