Cernavoda Unit 2 to Be Operational as of Sept 2007
Unit 2 of the
Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant may launch commercial
operations in
September 2007, Minister of Economy and Commerce
Codrut Seres announced ,
Nine O'Clock reports.
Approx. two months ago MEC announced that Unit 2 may
start to
deliver energy to the National Energy System in April 2007.
Heavy water loading of the moderator system of the nuclear reactor
is
scheduled for August 2006.
Next February, the first criticality of the
active segment (nuclear
fission chain reaction) will be
initiated.
Flaws found this April in two installations of the nuclear
reactor
cooling circuit a pressuriser and a condenser delayed
finalisation of the works, initial forecasts pointing to a three
month
to one-year delay.
Construction of the Cernavoda Unit 2 is a priority of
the national
energy system restructuring and upgrade process.
The
Government of Romania, through the normative acts it has passed,
has
created a legal, fiscal and financial framework for the
finalisation of
the investment.
The estimated project costs reach EUR 910 M. For Units 3
and 4, a
memorandum will be presented to the Government in two weeks'
time,
which looks at two options: keeping them fully owned by the State,
which would be possible if the Ministry for Public Finances ensured
the necessary resources for construction, or a private investment
with
the State as a minor shareholder.
The condition is for Nuclearelectrica to
be operator of the company.
As many as 13 companies have qualified for
participation in the
construction, delivery and operation of the Cernavoda
Nuclear Power
Plant Reactors 3 and 4: AES Corporation USA, Alro Slatina
Romania,
the consortium TESS Conex-ASAM-Iasi Romania, the consortium
Ansaldo
Italy AECL Canada, the consortium Unit Investments Luxembourg
Dogan Enerji Yatirimlari / Dogus Holding Turkey, Electrabel Belgium,
Electrica Bucharest Romania, ENEL Italy, E.ON Energie Germany,
Gabriel
Resources Canada, Iberdrola Spain, KHNP South Korea and RWE
Power Germany.
Unit 3 and 4 will use Unit 2 as a reference project. Unit 2 was
built
with a CANDU 6-type nuclear reactor, using natural uranium as
raw material
and heavy water as moderator.
The project will include all technology
improvements of similar
projects; the construction schedule for each unit
is 64 months since
the commercial contract takes effect, on condition that
certain
preparatory works as identified in the study (design, initiation
of
equipment procurement, site repairs) are initiated nine-twelve
months before.
The launch of Unit 4 works will take place one year
after works on
Unit 3 are initiated, and total expenditure, including
financial
expenditure and interests for the construction period reach
approx.
EUR 1.4 bln for Unit 3 and EUR 2.2 bln if Units 3 and 4 are built
in
one project.
