Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has sealed a deal with Romania’s national nuclear enterprise, Nuclearelectrica (SNN), in a contract that stands as Korea's highest single nuclear facility agreement at €195 million.

This agreement encompasses the development of a tritium removal plant for the Cernavoda nuclear power station, situated 170km eastwards from Bucharest. The bid for this initiative was placed by HNP in the previous October, and the official contract signing transpired in Seoul, graced by elite officials from both nations.

This designated facility will specialize in the extraction and containment of tritium, a radioactive variant of hydrogen, from the heavy-water moderator fluid used in atomic reactors.

Advanced Technological Integration

Globally, only two such plants exist - one at Korea's Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and the other at Canada's Darlington Nuclear Generating Station.

The construction is slated to commence in July, with an anticipated completion by August 2027. As per the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy's projections, the Cernavoda endeavor might usher in around €70 million in orders for local nuclear component producers, thereby invigorating the local sector.

Post the agreement's formalization, KHNP's CEO, Whang Joo-ho, expressed, "Despite the deal's scale, exporting nuclear apparatus carries immense value. This venture will substantially aid Korean vendors. We're also aiming to finalize our equipment suppliers by the forthcoming year's first half."

This contract marks Korea's second noteworthy nuclear export under the Yoon Suk Yeol regime, succeeding the El-Dabaa venture in Egypt.

Revising Nuclear Stances

The prevailing Korean government is ardently championing its nuclear industry, targeting the export of a decade of nuclear power facilities by 2030, deviating from the preceding administration's winding down strategy.

Simultaneously, Romania’s SNN is exploring potential partnerships in the atomic domain, evidenced by its recent agreement with Samsung C&T for introducing NuScale Power’s compact modular reactors in Romania. Additionally, a €1.74 billion upgrade for one of Cernavoda's twin reactor units is on Romania's 2024 agenda.

The successful execution of the tritium removal plant contract bolsters Korea's standing for the imminent reactor enhancement project bid.

Lee, Korea's industry director, optimistically noted, "Initiating with this tritium removal project, we aspire to strengthen our collaboration with Romania, especially concerning the forthcoming facility upgrade that aims to extend the operational longevity of Cernavoda’s reactors."