US construction company Bechtel International, Canadian SNC Lavalin Nuclear and firms from Russia have submitted letters to build the Cernavoda 3 and 4 nuclear reactors expansion project in Romania. EnergoNuclear SA, the project company which will build the 3 and 4 Cernavoda reactors has received letters of intent from Bechtel International INC, a consortium made of SNC Lavalin Nuclear INC., Ansaldo Nucleare SPA and Elcomex IEA SA, and from a consortium led by Atomtechnoprom, which includes four other firms in the Russian federation. The bidding procedures started in September last year and will take place in 2011 and in the first half of 2012.

Nuclearelectrica and ArcelorMittal, CEZ, GDF-SUEZ, Enel, Iberdrola and RWE Power signed an agreement in 2008 to set up EnergoNuclear, the company which will build and operate the reactors 3 and 4 at CNE Cernavoda. Nuclearelectrica has 51 percent of the company, while CEZ, GdF Suez and Enel, 9.15 percent each, and ArcelorMittal and Iberdrola, 6.2 percent each.

The estimated investment in the nuke project is of EUR 4 billion. Each of the new units will have an installed power of 720 MW. Energy company CEZ has sold its 9.15 percent participation in EnergoNuclear.

US construction company Bechtel is already active in Romania, where it currently builds the Transylvania highway. SNC Lavalin Nuclear is a Canadian nuclear engineering company and also runs an office in Romania.

editor@romania-insider.com