Cernavodă: Unit 1 runs at 50% power, decision on restarting Unit 2 expected on Monday

Prime Minister Luca Niculescu and Energy Minister Dumitru Chisăliță visited the Cernavodă nuclear power plant on Saturday, 7 November, a day after Unit 1 was reconnected to the national power system. According to the prime minister, the reactor was then running at 50% of capacity and was due to reach full power within the next 24 hours.

The figures. Niculescu said Unit 1 provides about 8% of the country's electricity output and that for 100 days the plant delivered no power to the system. Both units were shut down in the summer, when the Danube's low flow could no longer guarantee cooling water. Minister Chisăliță said the return of Unit 1 will reduce power imports, especially in the evening hours.

Unit 2. The decision on restarting the second reactor is expected on Monday, following an analysis by the plant's management. According to the minister, it depends on the Danube's flow, and the signs are „encouraging”. Plant director Romeo Urjan explained that the river's current level is sufficient for Unit 1, but that starting Unit 2 „is a more complex process”.

Bala 2. The prime minister asked all institutions to treat as a priority the Bala 2 project, which is meant to bring more water to cool Units 1 and 2 and the future Units 3 and 4, and called for permanent dredging. Chisăliță announced that the project will be rethought and that the ministry is preparing a solution that could be applied by next summer to avoid a repeat shutdown.

What next. According to G4Media, the prime minister said the government will also support investment in Units 3 and 4 at Cernavodă. The results of the analysis for Unit 2 are due to be presented on Monday.

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