Nuclearelectrica, the operator of Romania’s sole nuclear power plant - Cernavoda, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Falcon consortium, made of Italian companies Ansaldo Nuclear and ENEA, and the Nuclear Research Institute in Pitesti, for the development of an ALFRED generation IV reactor, a nuclear reactor cooled with lead, Ziarul Financiar reported.

The LFR technology is based on using lead instead of heavy water as a coolant agent in reactors that can be simpler, more robust and therefore safer.

Fourth generation reactors are in the early stage of design and demonstration, therefore, their commercial application is still a remote scenario.

However, the memorandum keeps Romania on the short list of countries that globally develop nuclear energy solutions, Nuclearelectrica manager Cosmin Ghita stressed.

Most of the reactors in use around the world are second generation, with rather few third generation in commercial operation.

The document signed last week by the two parties establishes a collaboration framework regarding the preliminary works and the research and development activities to be implemented for the ALFRED project in Mioveni - Pitesti.

Nuclearelectrica operates the Cernavoda power plant, which currently has two 700MW reactors in use and plans to build two more.

(Photo: nuclearelectrica.ro)

editor@romania-insider.com