Nuclearelectrica and Beltrame have signed a memorandum of understanding on the development of small modular nuclear reactors in Romania, according to a Nuclearelectrica press statement released on Tuesday, Agerpres reports.

SN Nuclearelectrica SA, the only nuclear producer in Romania and a strategic contributor to Romania’s energy security and deep decarbonisation, announces the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between RoPower Nuclear SA, a recently established project company for the development of small modular reactors (SMR), and Donalam SRL, part of AFV Beltrame Group, a leading European steel producer, at the IAEA Atoms for Climate Pavilion within COP 27.

The objective of the memorandum is to explore co-operation and investment opportunities in support of the development of the first SMR project in Romania, which could have a great impact also in achieving the production of green steel in Romania. On the same occasion, the two companies joined the United Nations 24/7 Carbon Free Energy Compact, committing to the UN’s 24/7 principles in support of the UN’s goal of accelerating the electricity system, mitigating climate change and to ensuring access to clean affordable energy.

By joining the UN 24/7 Carbon-free Energy Compact, Nuclearelectrica and AFV Beltrame become members of a global community of organisations that collaborate to develop solutions that enable access to carbon-free energy 24/7.

The announcement is said to come at a pivotal time as senior government policymakers from around the world meet at COP27 to discuss the urgency of accelerating the transition to clean energy.

In Romania, SMRs will be deployed in complementarity with both large-scale nuclear reactors and renewable sources, with the SMR project in Romania also providing for the addition of a solar production capacity in the same energy complex. The joint nuclear-renewable solution would be not only an optimal production capacity, with the ability to vary output, but also a vision of the generation sources for the power grid of the future.

RoPower is reportedly firmly committed to developing a state-of-the-art power plant with a strong commitment to nuclear safety and environmental sustainability, which will be achieved both by replacing a former coal-based facility with clean energy production and by entering partnerships with companies that have transitioned or intend to transition to sustainable outputs in order to significantly lower their carbon footprint.

Agerpres