Romania restarts first unit of Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant after prolonged outage

Resumption of operations after prolonged outage

It has been possible to resume operations at the first unit of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant in Romania. The reactor had been shut down for over three months. Currently, this unit accounts for 3.11% of the country's total electricity generation.

According to grid operator Transelectrica, at the time of the report, Cernavoda NPP was generating 192 MW of electricity.

Reasons for shutdown and start-up conditions

The first unit was shut down on 28 July. The main cause was a prolonged drought, which led to a drop in the water level of the Danube. This limited the amount of water required for cooling the equipment. On 13 August, the second reactor was also shut down for similar reasons.

The start-up procedure for the first unit began on 4 November. Specialists had previously confirmed that the minimum necessary conditions for safe operation were met. After connecting to the power grid, the reactor's output will be increased gradually, with appropriate checks being conducted.

Prospects for starting the second unit

The second unit cannot currently be started. For this to happen, the water level in the Danube must rise and remain at a sufficiently high level for several days. Nuclearelectrica stated that it is ready to begin the start-up procedure as soon as all technical and hydrological requirements are met.

Significance of the plant for the power system

Each of the two reactors at Cernavoda NPP has a capacity of approximately 700 MW. When both units are operating, they cover approximately 20% of Romania's electricity needs.