Bucharest, Romania – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to Romania’s nuclear energy authority, Societatea National Nuclearelectrica (SNN), for technical assistance to support the development of small modular reactor (SMR) solutions in Romania.
“USTDA is an ideal partner for Romania as it seeks cutting-edge civil nuclear energy technology for its future energy needs,” said Todd Abrajano, USTDA’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency. “Our assistance will build stronger ties between our respective industries and create new business opportunities for U.S. industry in an important market.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will support Romania’s efforts to include SMR technology in its national energy strategy. The assistance will identify a short list of SMR-suitable sites, assess SMR technology options and develop site-specific licensing roadmaps. SNN selected Illinois-based Sargent & Lundy to carry out the assistance.
Chief Executive Officer of SNN, Cosmin Ghita, noted: “In addition to the current development of Reactors 3 and 4, SNN is also interested in assessing the development of small modular reactors as a long-term solution to further develop the Romanian nuclear industry. We are interested in features like flexibility, modularity and higher efficiency that could provide advantages for both the energy system and businesses after 2035. The grant awarded by USTDA will allow us to further explore siting and technology compatibility with the proper technical assistance and have this assessment process initiated in due time for further decision-making.”
U.S. Ambassador to Romania, Adrian Zuckerman said: “Today’s signing of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s grant to Nuclearelectica is a very important stride forward for strengthening our bilateral energy cooperation and, more importantly, for Romania’s future economic development.”
USTDA’s support for the civil nuclear energy sector dates back to 1993, when the Agency financed several feasibility studies to facilitate power plant upgrades and modernization in Eastern Europe.
Since 1992, USTDA has supported more than 100 projects in Romania.
Illustration courtesy of NuScale Power, LLC
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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 development 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.