The second reactor of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant in Romania shut down unexpectedly yesterday (January 9 ), taking state-owned Nuclearelectrica's energy production down to under half. The general manager of Nuclearelectrica Dumitru Dina said it was not a serious issue but the reasons for the shutdown were not yet known.

The company further announced the reactor will be restarted after it has become clear why it shut down in the first place. For the time being, the company said it seems to have been caused by some problems in the cooling system of the unit's electrical generator. A similar unexpected shutdown happened in November 2012.

When both reactors are functional, the Cernavoda power plant produces 20 percent of Romania's needed electricity, and with just one reactor working, only 8.9 percent.

Nuclearelectrica, together with private investors, will build reactors 3 and 4 for the Cernavoda power plant, aiming to generate about 30 percent of Romania’s electricity production by 2019, with a production estimated at around 11 TWh a year.

The EUR 4 billion project for the two nuclear rectors has been on Romania's table for the last six years, with several investors initially interested, but then withdrawing: CEZ, RWE, Gaz de France and Iberdrola.

The Cernavoda site is designed for five CANDU 6 reactors. Initial construction on the site commenced in 1982, with the intention of completing all five units. Unit 1 has been in operation since December 1996 and Unit 2, since October 2007.

editor@romania-insider.com