Nuclearelectrica and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) have held a ceremony to mark the start of work on what will become Europe's first tritium removal facility, at Romania's Cernavoda nuclear power plant, https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/ reads. As a Candu pressurised heavy water reactor ages, tritium - an isotope of hydrogen - accumulates in its moderator and heat transport systems. Increased levels of tritium can significantly contribute to personnel dose rates and emissions levels in the environment. Tritium removal technology is designed to capture and process tritium so that it can be properly stored and recycled, thereby reducing environmental impact, personnel exposure levels and enhancing workplace safety. The Cernavoda tritium removal facility - the world's third, and the first in Europe - will use technology developed by the Romanian National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies, a scientific research and technological development unit under the coordination of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalisation. The tritium removal facility will include several high-technology areas: liquid phase isotopic separation, cryogenic distillation and high-vacuum operation. The tritium extracted will be stored in secure and safe specialised containers ready for future uses - which could include fuel for future fusion reactors. In June 2023 KHNP signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract worth KRW260 billion (USD200 million) with Nuclearelectrica for the new facility following a public procurement process. And in January 2024 Nuclearelectrica secured a loan agreement of EUR145 million (USD159 million) with the European Investment Bank towards the project, which has a completion timeline estimated to be 50 months. Cosmin Ghita, CEO of Nuclearelectrica, said: "We are pleased to implement an innovative Romanian technology together with KHNP, a leading nuclear expert, to achieve a safe and reliable project. The tritium removal facility demonstrates Nuclearelectrica’s commitment to safe operations and environmental protection. This project underlines Romania’s leading role in the nuclear industry and contributes to national energy security." Jooho Whang, CEO of KHNP, said: "The groundbreaking ceremony ... is a very important milestone which signifies the execution of the project in earnest ... the facility will enhance environmental protection, while contributing to safe operation of the Cernavoda NPP and economic growth of the country as well. Going forward, I expect the nuclear industries between Romania and South Korea will have closer and stronger collaboration." Cernavoda is the only nuclear power plant in Romania and consists of two 650 MWe Candu-6 reactors. Unit 1 went into commercial operation in 1996 and unit 2 in 2007. Nuclearelectrica plans to extend the operating life of unit 1 to 60 years. Tritium removal facilities are already in operation at Ontario Power Generation's Darlington plant and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's Wolsong plant, both home to Candu reactors.
Six men and one woman from Romania have been accused of recruiting dozens of children and adults from foster care centers, whom they then transported to Hungary, where they turned them into slaves, forcing them to work under inhumane conditions. The accused are from the localities of Ozun and Chilieni, Covasna County, Romania, and allegedly […]
The Museum of Collectivization, the first in Romania dedicated to the forced collectivization period of the communist era, is set to open a new wing, Corp B, funded through the EU-backed National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN). With the new building, the museum located in Tămășeni, […]
Romania’s “Madrigal – Marin Constantin” National Chamber Choir, conducted by Anna Ungureanu, will be in Luxembourg and Belgium, as part of the “Bridges Across Europe/Punți peste Europa” European tour, where it will perform five extraordinary concerts. The performances will take place between November 20 and 25, with the help of the Ministry of Culture, the Romanian Embassy […]
The European Development Bank approved a EUR 140 million loan for Romania’s “Cultural Foundations” project, aimed at preserving historical monuments and constructing cultural buildings in the country. The project targets 14 investment objectives of national and European relevance, administered by public institutions under the Ministry of Culture, including the Romanian Athenaeum, the Romanian National Operas […]
Bucharest, November 14, 2024 – Exim Banca Romaneasca offers clients the possibility to verify the true identity of the beneficiary when initiating a payment in RON through internet or mobile banking. This is enabled by the bank’s adoption of the Beneficiary Name Display Service (SANB), which helps prevent fraud and reduces erroneous transactions caused by […]
Fifty NGOs and civic groups, along with the Bucharest Environmental Platform, have drawn up an open letter calling on Romania’s Ministry of Environment, Waters, and Forests to urgently approve the Management Plan for the Văcărești Natural Park in Bucharest. They say the plan has been pending approval for nearly a year. The non-profits noted that […]
