Arlington, VA – On July 24, a U.S. Trade and Development Agency-funded small modular reactor (SMR) project in Romania reached a significant milestone in its progress toward implementation following the signing of a contract between Fluor Corporation and Romania’s RoPower Nuclear S.A. for a second front-end engineering and design (FEED) study. Previously funded USTDA activities, including the first FEED study, have significantly advanced the project’s development while contributing to Romania’s selection of SMR technology from Oregon-based NuScale Power OVS, LLC (NuScale) for the project. USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong was present for the contract signing, which took place in Bucharest.

“Romania has a thriving nuclear power industry and a clear vision for leading SMR technology deployment in Europe,” said Director Ebong. “Romania is making a clear case to the world that it is building the right partnerships to achieve its goals. We see this firsthand as part of the United States’ whole-of-government effort to support Romania’s SMR ambitions.”  

In 2021, USTDA funded technical assistance that resulted in the selection of NuScale as the provider of the SMR technology and the decommissioned coal-fired Doicești power station as the site for Romania’s first SMR plant. In 2022, USTDA assembled a coalition of partners and awarded a feasibility study grant for a first stage FEED study. The study defined the sequence of work that will take place during Phase Two and will bring the project closer to implementation.

USTDA’s work on the project is one component of the Agency’s civil nuclear energy portfolio in Eastern Europe. The signing took place at the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | press@ustda.gov