MONTREAL, March 7,
2023 /CNW/ - Candu Energy Inc., a member of the
SNC-Lavalin Group (TSX: SNC), has been selected by Nuclearelectrica
S.A. (SNN), operator of the Cernavoda Nuclear Generating Station in
Romania, to conduct further
pre-project work for Cernavoda's Unit 1 CANDU® reactor,
ahead of its life-extension to support European energy security and
Romania's Net Zero goals. The win
builds on SNC-Lavalin's last pre-project mandate at Cernavoda
announced in 2022.
The two-year mandate, worth roughly $65
million, will see SNC-Lavalin perform long lead and
front-end engineering services for the utility. This is in
preparation for the upcoming Cernavoda Unit 1 Refurbishment
project, which would see the reactor's operating life extended to
2060. The two CANDU units at the facility supply 20% of
Romania's electricity, providing
an emissions-free, low cost, energy-secure, and uninterrupted flow
of power to Romanian consumers and businesses. The Romanian
government and SNN have also signaled their intent to complete
Units 3 and 4 at Cernavoda. Both would be reactor new-builds,
designed to use CANDU technology. Cernavoda's long-term operation
is central to helping Romania
reach its goal of phasing out nearly 4 gigawatt hours of coal-fired
power by 2032. CANDU reactors in Canada similarly allowed the province of
Ontario to phase out coal from its
power grid in 2014.
"Our longstanding work at Cernavoda is a leading example of how
we operationalize our commitment to engineer a better future for
our planet and its people," commented Ian
L. Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer,
SNC-Lavalin. "This life extension will provide many future
generations of Romanians with energy security, cost-efficient
power, and will allow Romania to
continue to benefit from the reduction of its greenhouse gas
emissions by over 10 million tonnes a year that the CANDU reactors
at Cernavoda have achieved."
SNC-Lavalin is the only organization which has taken a leading
role in all CANDU reactor life extension projects to date globally.
This includes projects located in New
Brunswick (Point Lepreau), Ontario (Darlington and Bruce Power), South Korea (Wolsong), and Argentina (Embalse). The Company's full
lifecycle nuclear expertise, and prior experience across original
reactor design, design modifications, as well as prolonged
operation and life extensions, will be leveraged to maximize
customer outcomes for Cernavoda's pre-project work.
"We are happy to continue the strategic partnership we have with
SNC-Lavalin, advancing the NPP Cernavoda Unit 1 Refurbishment
Project, which will provide Romania with another 30 years of baseload
clean energy. Moreover, the extension of the lifetime of Unit 1
will continue to bring multiple benefits to Romania: preserving high quality jobs, as well
as creating new ones, investments in the community, an important
contribution through taxes, as well as projects for the local
supply chain, as part of our vision to create a sustainable future
for the next generations," said Cosmin Ghiță, CEO of
Nuclearelectrica SA.
Specialized personnel from SNC-Lavalin's Canadian nuclear
business will carry out design and procurement engineering work
necessary in order to execute design modifications and
recommendations arising out of SNC-Lavalin's condition assessment,
which have been selected by SNN as part of the mid-life
refurbishment of Unit 1. Additionally, new infrastructure and
buildings that are necessary at site to support reactor retubing
activities will be designed. Also, within the project, SNC-Lavalin
will work with Ansaldo Nucleare which will supply engineering
services for the balance of plant activities, continuing the long
term partnership between the companies. Other key supporting
organizations include Sargent and Lundy, CITON, and GE (General
Electric) Steam Power, who are expected to supply engineering
services associated with the refurbishment of Unit 1.
"Romania has long adopted a
forward-looking view toward its energy needs," said Joe St. Julian, President, Nuclear, SNC-Lavalin.
"That includes its desire to continue leveraging the proven,
affordable, efficient, and effective CANDU technology at Cernavoda.
As the steward and original equipment manufacturer of
CANDU technology, we are thrilled to be able to conduct this
vital work for SNN and the Romanian people, just as we were
entrusted to originally construct Cernavoda's reactors in 1996 and
2007."
Preparing Cernavoda's CANDU reactors to continue serving
Romania's future generations with
stable, decarbonized power is another part of SNC-Lavalin's
Engineering Net Zero blueprint; our commitment to advance
projects that help clients decarbonize their assets, manage climate
risk and build climate resiliency.
About SNC-Lavalin
Founded in 1911,
SNC-Lavalin is a fully integrated professional services and project
management company with offices around the world dedicated to
engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We
create sustainable solutions that connect people, technology and
data to design, deliver and operate the most complex projects. We
deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver
unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset
including consulting, advisory & environmental services,
intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering,
procurement, project & construction management, operations
& maintenance, decommissioning and capital – and delivered to
clients in key strategic sectors such as Engineering Services,
Nuclear, Operations & Maintenance and Capital. News and
information are available at snclavalin.com or follow
us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
About SNC-Lavalin's Nuclear Business
SNC-Lavalin has over 70 years' of global nuclear expertise,
delivering nuclear technology products and full-service solutions
to nuclear utilities around the world. With an innovative
technology portfolio, including access to over 500 patented
solutions, SNC-Lavalin solves technically complex challenges across
the whole nuclear lifecycle from design and new build through asset
management and from life extension and late life management through
decommissioning and waste management. SNC-Lavalin operates and
manages government nuclear research sites, transforming ageing
infrastructure and safely managing legacy nuclear waste.
SNC-Lavalin is the steward of CANDU® nuclear technology, operating
on four continents, and provides advisory and engineering services
to other nuclear developers. SNC-Lavalin is also involved in
developing medical radioisotopes for cancer research through its
partnership with TerraPower.
SOURCE SNC-Lavalin
