Kazatomprom said it won an open tender for the supply of natural uranium oxide "for the needs of Romania's nuclear power industry" in December 2022 and has delivered the material in accordance with the terms of that contract "Kazatomprom exported its products via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) which has been actively used by the company since 2018," it added The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route passes through Azerbaijan and Georgia and on to the Black Sea without entering Russian territory It was first developed in 2018 to mitigate the risk should Kazatomprom's usual west-bound shipment route via St Petersburg be unavailable Kazatomprom last year said it was looking to increase the quota limit on shipments via the Trans-Caspian route although it had not encountered any disruptions or logistical/insurance-related issues on the St Petersburg route as a reliable and preferred supplier on the global nuclear fuel market will continue to diversify the geography of supplies and enter new markets," the company said Cernavoda's two Candu reactors generate about 20% of Romania's electricity Fuel for the plant is fabricated by Nuclearelectrica subsidiary Fabrica de Combustibil Nuclear (FCN) at its fuel plant at Pitesti The Romanian national nuclear company agreed in 2021 to purchase the uranium processing line assets of Compania Nationala a Uraniului (CNU) at Feldioara as part of a plan to develop a Romanian integrated fuel cycle Nuclearelectrica completed the acquisition of the technical uranium concentrate processing stream from CNU's Feldioara subsidiary in late December 2022 and leased the relevant assets to its FPCU Feldioara subsidiary During the first three months of this year it has been working to authorise the production process and prepare the facilities at Feldioara for the start of processing The contract with Kazatomprom was signed at the same time as this "operationalisation" so that the contracted quantities would be delivered in time for the start of production With EUR12 billion-worth (USD13 billion) of investment projects over the next decade Nuclearelectrica is aiming to consolidate its nuclear capabilities and provide Romania with "full investment capacity," according to CEO Cosmin Ghita "The strategic decision to acquire part of Feldioara's assets necessary for the processing of the raw material was aimed at preserving and developing the Romanian integrated nuclear fuel cycle the integrated production capabilities in SNN (Nuclearelectrica) and ensuring the production of fuel bundles and the optimal operation of NFP Pitesti and Cernavoda NPP in the context of expanding the capacity of the nuclear power plant at an advantageous transaction cost," Ghita said The company plans to refurbish the older of Cernavoda's two units complete a further two units planned at the site and to develop small modular reactors in cooperation with US company NuScale "The completion of these projects requires solid nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure and are all overarched by SNN's mission to reenergize Romania with clean energy beyond the 2030s," he said Romainia’s nuclear utility SN Nuclearelectrica SA (SNN) says it put into operation its Feldioara Branch during January-March as part of its strategy for development of an integrated nuclear fuel cycle Romainia’s nuclear utility SN Nuclearelectrica SA (SNN) says it put into operation its Feldioara Branch during January-March as part of its strategy for development of an integrated nuclear fuel cycle SNN agreed in 2021 to purchase the uranium processing line assets of Compania Nationala a Uraniului (CNU) at Feldioara as part of a plan to develop a Romanian integrated fuel cycle SNN acquired a concession to some assets from CNU as well as a property right on the land related to these assets from the Ministry of Energy These assets were then leased to FPCU Feldioara (a subsidiary of SNN) for the operation and start-up of the production process all the necessary steps were taken to authorise the production process and prepare the facilities for the start operation “The strategic decision to acquire part of Feldioara’s assets necessary for the processing of the raw material was aimed at preserving and developing the Romanian integrated nuclear fuel cycle the integrated production capabilities in SNN,” said SNN Cosmin Ghita It was also aimed at “ensuring the production of fuel assemblies and the optimal operation of NFP Pitesti and Cernavoda NPP at an advantageous transaction cost” He added: “With investment projects worth €12bn for the upcoming decade our purpose is to consolidate nuclear capabilities and provide Romania with full investment capacity.” a subsequent contract was signed with Kazakhstan’s National Atomic Company to provide the technological requirements for UO2 production All the necessary steps were taken to transport the uranium concentrate and deliver the contracted quantities to ensure the start of production when the subsidiary was completed The transport was carried out using the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route under optimal conditions and in a very short period of time SNN said acheiving this transport and the supply of uranium concentrates for the second time using this route confirmed that this option is a viable one and can be strengthened in the future The Trans Caspian route was first developed in 2018 in case Kazatomprom's usual west-bound shipment route via St Petersburg became unavailable It passes through Azerbaijan and Georgia and on to the Black Sea without entering Russian territory Ghita also noted that the refurbishment of Cernavoda NPP unit 1 and the project to construct units 3&4 as well as development of small modular reactors in cooperation with US-based NuScale Power would contribute to Romania’s energy stability the development of the nuclear industry and the training of a new generation of engineers “The completion of these projects requires solid nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure and are all overarched by SNN’s mission to reenergise Romania with clean energy beyond the 2030s,” he said The 700 MWe Cernavoda 1 was commissioned in December 1996 and Cernavoda 2 in 2007 The Cernavoda 3&4 project aims to complete two further Candu 6 reactors Cernavoda 1&2 supply 20% of Romania’s electricity Kazatomprom confirmed that it had delivered uranium for Romania's NPP Kazatomprom won the SNN open tender for the supply of uranium oxide to Romania's nuclear power industry in December 2022 Kazatomprom is the largest uranium producer in the world with natural uranium production totalling about 24% of the total global primary uranium production in 2021 The group has the largest uranium reserve base in the industry is developing 26 deposits combined into 14 uranium mining enterprises Kazatomprom’s main export markets are China Image: Kazatomprom has successfully delivered a supply of natural uranium to Romania for its NPP (courtesy of Kazatomprom) Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the Progressive Media network © Business Trade Media International Limited Nuclearelectrica (SNN) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) signed the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the completion of Europe’s first Tritium Removal Facility (CTRF) at Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (Cernavoda NPP) CTRF will remove the tritium from installations resulting in increased protection of the environment in full alignment with Nuclearelectrica’s and Europe’s ESG objectives developed by the Romanian National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies (ICSI Rm Cernavoda Tritium Removal Facility (CTRF) will be the world’s third and Europe’s first Tritium Removal Facility and will give Romania the opportunity to become a European hub for tritium production and export – the fuel candidate of future clean fusion reactors Romania has the opportunity to develop its suppliers’ chain and become a centre for development and export of the Romanian tritium removal technology and know-how is mainly produced in heavy water-moderated-power reactors (such as CANDU) CTRF will remove tritium from the heavy water of the CANDU reactors and installations at Cernavoda NPP The resulted tritium can be further used for the future fusion reactors and will be the first indigenous European source of fuel using a Romanian technology in partnership with Korea Fusion power plants will use hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium to fuel the fusion reaction and will convert the energy released into electricity including up to date safety requirements for a tritium industrial facility as specified by CNCAN “We are happy to implement a Romanian innovative technology based on years of research and development a true statement of Romania’s leadership in nuclear industry a leading expert in the field is the right partner to support us in delivering a safe and reliable project The Tritium Removal Facility represents Nuclearelectrica’s constant commitment to safe operation and protection of the environment and population technological advancement and international cooperation is to provide Romania a leading role in the nuclear industry and support its energy security I am fully appreciative of National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotope Technologies – ICSI Rm Valcea my team at Nuclearelectrica and our partners for their efforts and shared vision for a sustainable future for the next generation,” Cosmin Ghita Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has been selected as an Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor following a public procurement procedure KHNP is highly experienced in developing similar projects and is operating a similar facility at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant site The Tritium Removal Facility project will benefit from international world class cooperation in the field from Romania capitalizing on the National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotope Technologies – ICSI Rm Nuclearelectrica’s Tritium Removal Facility will include several high technology areas: liquid phase isotopic separation The project completion duration is estimated at 50 months and the produced tritium will be stored in secure and safe specialized containers ready for future use “We are actively working on strengthening our international partnerships capitalizing on our 26 years of safe operation expertise and Romanian nuclear industry expertise for more than 50 years We aim by 2031 to deliver not only 66% of Romania’s clean energy but also innovative and efficient projects which support the development of the local nuclear industry with multiple socio-economic benefits This is a great time to harvest our Romanian expertise for a safe energy future and share our knowledge to like-minded companies and countries,” Cosmin Ghita added SNN-KHNP MoU for cooperation in the field of nuclear fuel SNN and KHNP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of nuclear fuel as part of both parties’ strategy to further develop fuel processing and ensure the resilience of fuel production capabilities for the long-term operation of current nuclear power plants and new energy production capacities Nuclearelectrica owns the entire processing flow of the technical uranium concentrate to obtain the sinterable UO2 powder Nuclearelectrica’s branch from Feldioara (Feldioara Uranium Concentrate Processing Factory) is currently operating at the nominal parameters Nuclearelectrica has in plan projects for refurbishment and modernization of the production line with the objective to expand its activity in the field of nuclear fuel management and services The Memorandum of Understanding records the intention of the parties to collaborate for studying planning and development of activities for technical uranium concentrates processing with the purpose of potentially qualifying SNN as a potential supplier of sinterable UO2 powder by KHNP and the exploration of possibilities for collaboration in the area of nuclear fuel bundle fabrication Nuclearelectrica completed the acquisition of certain assets in the technical uranium concentrate processing flow from CNU Feldioara Branch The strategic decision to acquire part of the Feldioara branch was aimed at preserving and developing the integrated Romanian nuclear fuel cycle and ensure the resilience of the production capacities of Nuclearelectrica In the context of expanding the production of Cernavoda NPP with two more units at the level of 2030/2031 it was crucial for us to ensure the security of production of fuel bundles and the optimal operation of FCN Pitesti and Cernavoda NPP By cooperating with highly experienced partners such as KHNP we want to further develop our fuel management and production capabilities and be able to export our services The implementation of this MoU gives us long-term strength and security and I thank KHNP for taking our already consolidated partnership to a next level of excellence,” Cosmin Ghita KHNP is a major player in the world of the CANDU nuclear fuel cycle the owner and operator of the CANDU reactors in the Republic of Korea KHNP has technological knowledge and experience in the production of advanced Candu 6 (37M) fuel bundles and is interested in diversifying its sources of uranium dioxide powder with natural isotopic composition for its needs “With Nuclearelectrica owning the entire processing flow of the technical uranium concentrate for obtaining the sinterable UO2 powder and Feldioara subsidiary (FPCU) being operational and functioning at nominal parameters we intend to explore new possibilities of expanding the company’s activity in the nuclear fuel field fully innovative nuclear producer and a reference point in region,” Cosmin Ghita noted After the National Uranium Company (CNU) was wound up last year which also meant the closure of the last uranium mine in Romania the Executive wants to sell to Nuclearelectrica the technical uranium concentrates in the safety and consumption stock It was set up between 2009-2011 and is administered by CNU The money obtained would be used to repay a state aid of almost RON 118 million from which it benefited The quantity to be sold is classified information at state secret level and is disclosed only to stakeholders For the sale of technical uranium concentrates the Ministry of Energy has prepared a draft Emergency Ordinance specifying that the transaction will be carried out at the market value of purified uranium octoxide at the time of signing the contract established on the basis of the spot market reference price published in the annual or periodic reports of the EURATOM Supply Agency According to the Quarterly Uranium Market Report for Q2/2022 prepared by the Euratom Supply Agency (ESA) the spot price for natural uranium supply contracts (calculated for the last 6 months of 2021) was EUR 86.07/kgU Taking into account the NBR exchange rate on 3.10.2022 the value in RON of one kg of natural uranium is 86.07×4.9480 = RON 425.87/kgU Uranium octoxide (UO2) is needed to make the fuel bundles used at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant Uranium octoxide is obtained by processing/refining uranium concentrate (U3O8) The world’s largest uranium producers are Kazakhstan State aid granted to CNU must be recovered The money obtained from the sale of the stock would constitute revenue to the state budget which has to recover the state aid granted to CNU According to European Commission Decision No the amount to be recovered is RON 178.3 million plus contractual interest the state has provided the company with a 6-month rescue loan of over RON 62 million which was later converted (by cancelling the repayment obligation) into restructuring aid of RON 60.4 million the company has also received three grants totalling RON 117.9 million Romania notified the European Commission of a restructuring plan for CNU which included public support of RON 441 million lei the form of grants but the plan was rejected by the European Commission the National Company Nuclearelectrica (SNN) is buying uranium concentrate from the Canadian firm Cameco and Kazakhstan’s Kazatomprom The last tender for the purchase was held this spring with an estimated value of USD 180 million The uranium concentrate is delivered to the processing plant in Feldioara the uranium is sent to the Nuclear Fuel Plant in Pitesti where the fuel bundles needed for the reactors are produced the uranium used at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant is imported or from stocks built up in recent years after the Executive decided in June 2021 to stop work at the Crucea mine in Suceava county Its exploitation had become unprofitable because the reserves had been depleted but there was talk of opening the mine at Grintiesul Auriu where there is an important deposit that has been exploited in the past the mine at Grintiesul Auriu had more than 40 galleries where about 2,000 people worked Energy Minister Virgil Popescu promises however to reopen the Grinties mine no steps have been taken to determine the level of investment and its duration The National Agency for Mineral Resources ordered a re-evaluation of the mine’s deposits in early 2000 and work here was halted in October 2001 because no investment funds were allocated According to the latest estimates made in 2019 the total investment value for the reopening was RON 40,331,000 and the average annual uranium ore mining capacity was estimated at 124,000 tons Another component of the Romanian civil nuclear chain was the Romanian Authority for Nuclear Activities (RAAN) from Drobeta Turnu-Severin the heavy water needed to start up the nuclear reactors at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant was produced here and later it was used only to replenish quantities after having filed for insolvency in September 2013 the National Administration of State Reserves and Special Issues (ANRSPS) took over the assets facilities and equipment needed to manage heavy water stocks in 2020 Managing the heavy water stock is not a cheap operation at the time of the bankruptcy it cost around EUR 12 million a year RAAN’s heavy water plant was the largest producer in the world with heavy water produced here also having the highest concentration of nuclear use (99.78%) which is also sufficient for reactors 3 and 4 is the sole producer and supplier of uranium dioxide in Romania destined for the production of nuclear fuel for CANDU reactors at the Cernavoda NPP the granting of rescue aid to the National Uranium Company was authorized 65/2016 on the establishment of the legal framework for granting individual state aid for the rescue of the National Uranium Company the mechanism underlying the granting and repayment of this loan was established as well as all the other obligations that the company must fulfil The National Uranium Company has entered general insolvency proceedings pursuant to the Civil Judgment pronounced by the Bucharest Court