An international consortium led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) on Dec. 19 in Bucharest, Romania, signs a contract for an order worth KRW 2.8 trillion won to refurbish a nuclear power plant in the Romanian town of Cernavoda. (KHNP)

By Kim Seon Ah

An international consortium led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has won an order worth KRW 2.8 trillion to refurbish a nuclear reactor in Romania.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in Seoul on Dec. 19 said the consortium comprising KHNP, Candu Energy of Canada and Ansaldo Nucleare of Italy signed the final contract with Romania's public power utility company SNN for remodeling Unit 1 at the nuclear plant in the Romanian town of Cernavoda.

This project will replace equipment, parts and components to ensure that Unit 1, Romania's first commercial nuclear reactor that went online in 1996, runs another 30 years.

Candu Energy will oversee the design of the reactor system and Ansaldo Nucleare the design of the turbine generator system and procurement of equipment. KHNP will supervise the refurbishment process like the replacement of core equipment inside the reactor with new parts and construction of key infrastructure facilities like storage for spent radioactive waste.

The ministry said, "With today’s contract signing on the Cernavoda refurbishment project, Korea will be taking part in an overseas continued operation project for the first time, which is anticipated to help diversify the country's NPP (nuclear power plant) exports going forward."

sofiakim218@korea.kr