U.S. gives Romania USD 14 M to have the first mini-reactor power plants in Europe

By Alina Grigoras Last updated Jun 27, 2022

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The United States Government together with the American company NuScale Power will finance with 14 million dollars the design studies for the installation in Romania of SMR (small modular reactor) type plants, the first of their kind in Europe. The announcement was made by the White House at the G7 summit and was welcomed by President Klaus Iohannis, who stressed that ensuring energy security is a common goal of the bilateral Strategic Partnership.

Today, at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Schloss Elmau, President Biden laid out the Administration’s whole of government effort to execute the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) to narrow infrastructure gaps around the world, strengthen the global economy and supply chains, and advance international security through strategic investments. As a key demonstration of this commitment, President Biden announced another milestone in the United States’ support for clean energy innovation as part of global efforts to combat climate change. The United States is committing $14 million toward a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study to provide the basis for the deployment of a small modular reactor (SMR) power plant in Romania. This action is the next step in fulfilling the pledge made by Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Romania President Klaus Iohannis at the 2021 UN Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow (COP26), where they announced their intent to deploy an SMR in Romania in partnership with U.S. firm NuScale Power LLC (“NuScale”).

President Joe Biden came to the G7 summit in Germany with the aim of launching a partnership with developing countries in the field of infrastructure investment, according to a White House statement.

“The U.S. Government with U.S. firm NuScale Power LLC (Tigard, OR) will provide $14 million in support for the Front-End Engineering and Design study for Romania’s deployment of a first-of-its-kind small modular reactor (SMR) plant. Building on U.S. Government efforts, including advocacy support from Commerce and technical assistance from State and USTDA, this investment is meant to mobilize a multi-billion-dollar effort and showcase U.S. ingenuity in the advanced nuclear sector, accelerate the clean energy transition, create thousands of jobs, and strengthen European energy security while upholding the highest standards for nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation,” says the statement regarding Romania.

“In Romania, the American company, NuScale Power, will build a first-of-its-kind small modular reactor plant. This will help bring online zero-emission nuclear energy to Europe faster, more cheaply, and more efficiently. The U.S. government is helping to advance the development of this groundbreaking American technology, which will strengthen Europe’s energy security and create thousands of jobs in Romania and the United States. These deals are just some of what’s in store. And we’re ready. We’re ready to get to work, together, all of us,” reads a statement by President Joe Biden.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis hailed the decision on Twitter.

I welcome the announcement of President Biden @POTUS regarding the energy cooperation between Romania?? & the United States??, with $14 million for a new stage of the modular reactors program in Romania. Ensuring energy security is a joint objective of ???? Strategic Partnership.

— Klaus Iohannis (@KlausIohannis) June 26, 2022

Romanian PM Nicolae Ciuca also reacted.

“Romania is taking firm steps towards energy independence and becoming a net energy exporter. The US decision to finance with 14 million dollars the design studies in Romania of the small modular reactors (SMR) is an essential step for the Romanian civil nuclear field”, the prime minister posted on Facebook.

The PM added that on parallel with the development of SMR technology, Romania will build reactors 3 and 4 from Cernavoda. “The production of nuclear energy contributes to the decrease of the degree of pollution generated by the thermal power plants and to the increase of the degree of environmental protection, both being objectives assumed by the entire European Union”, says PM Ciucă.

The first small modular reactor (SMR) in Romania will be installed at the former thermal power plant in Doicești, Dâmbovița County, Nuclearelectrica and the American company NuScale announced last month at a seminar organized in Bucharest in partnership with the United States Department of Commerce.Romania thus becomes one of the first countries in the world – and the first in Europe – to implement the innovative and safe technology of NuScale small modular reactors, which allow the supply of “clean” energy.

This 8-month effort, expected to cost $28 million in total and to include contributions from Romania SN Nuclearelectrica and NuScale, will provide Romania with key site-specific data – cost, construction, schedule, and licensing details – necessary for the deployment of a NuScale VOYGRTM-6 SMR nuclear power plant, reads a White House press release.

Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said: “Nuclear energy, including small modular reactors, represent a critical tool in the fight against climate change, and can also enhance energy security and boost economic prosperity. This is a strong step forward in support of Romania’s desire to deploy innovative, safe, and zero-emissions nuclear energy in partnership with the United States.”

“This latest commitment demonstrates the strength and importance of Transatlantic relationships in the pursuit of regional security and energy independence,” said Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Eliot Kang. “It also underscores the critical need for nuclear energy, carried out under the highest standards of safety, security and nonproliferation, as a key component of the clean energy transition.”

When fully implemented, this multi-billion-dollar effort will showcase the ability of advanced nuclear reactors to replace coal generation with clean, innovative nuclear energy, while creating thousands of jobs, and reaffirming the fact that climate change initiatives and sustainable economic growth go hand-in-hand. By partnering with the United States, Romania is also ensuring its investments in nuclear energy uphold the highest standards for nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation, while contributing to the consolidation of energy security in the region.

Enoh T. Ebong, Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, said: “Our partners in Romania and across Eastern Europe require the scaling of existing project preparation efforts to meet the region’s longer-term energy security needs. This FEED study would build upon USTDA’s existing commitments to deploy cutting-edge U.S. SMR solutions to the region, including grant funding for a study that helped Romania identify and assess several locations where existing coal-fired power plants could be replaced with SMR plants. Our engagement is having the intended result of creating new business opportunities for U.S. industry in an important market and advancing energy security across the region.”

“Romania is an exemplary partner in our mutual pursuit of Transatlantic peace and security, as well as in global efforts to combat climate change,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Robin Dunnigan. “Through its pledge to deploy U.S. small modular reactor technology, Romania is not only reinforcing its strong relationship with the United States through civil-nuclear cooperation, but also setting an example for others to follow on the capabilities of clean energy technologies and advanced nuclear reactors to facilitate our transition away from fossil fuels.”

SMRs offer lower costs, more scalability and flexibility than traditional nuclear reactors, and the ability to complement other clean energy sources. SMRs have a small environmental footprint and can be deployed to match the specific needs of a country’s power grid. Investing in SMRs creates good paying jobs in host countries and offers the ability to scale-up quickly as demand dictates.

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