The Romanian plant will utilize NuScale Power Modules (NPMs) developed by NuScale Power, LLC, an American company headquartered in Tigard, Oregon. That firm designs small modular reactors (SMRs) and markets them under the VOYGR trademark. The SMRs it makes are characterized by small, simple designs that improve safety by integrating steam generators (SGs) and reactor pressure vessels (RPVs).
The Romanian project—in which Samsung C&T is also participating—aims to erect a NuScale VOYGR-6 plant (total output 462MW) consisting of six SMRs at the former site of a coal-fired power plant in the southern Romanian village of Doiceşti, situated around 90km NW of Bucharest. Electricity has not been produced at the site for more than a decade, having been shut down some 13 years ago. Preparatory work at the site for the nuclear facility has already begun.
Through the manufacture of the mock-up and a verification of the steel-module fabrication process, IHI hopes to help speed up the construction of the VOYGR-6 plant. The mock-up—to be produced at IHI’s Yokohama Works—should be ready in two months (i.e., by April 2025). The company decided to invest in NuScale four years ago, in fiscal 2021 (April 2021 to March 2022), since when it has since endeavored to develop technology contributing to the realization of SMRs.
Making use of its years of experience in fabricating reactor vessels and developing technology to be used therein, the firm intends to use SMRs and other nuclear power businesses going forward in order to contribute to achieving carbon neutrality.
The Romanian project is primarily being led by RoPower Nuclear S.A., a joint venture between SN Nuclearelectrica S.A. (SNN), a Romanian nuclear energy producer, and Nova Power & Gas SRL, a private energy company from the same country. The project has progressed to the stage of business planning and contracting for basic design, in anticipation of construction. Construction planning efforts are also underway in Ghana, an emerging economy.
