AECL makes 'important step' in Romania

Shawn McCarthy, The Globe and Mail
February 08, 2010

The federally-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has inked a contract to assess the viability of building two new reactors in Romania, furthering its hope to sell its Candu 6 units there.

In an interview from Bucharest, AECL chief executive Hugh MacDiarmid said the pre-engineering work represented "an important step forward" in Romania's plan to add two Candus to the two that are currently operating at Cernavoda.

"It's all work that contributes to and moves forward the timing of the overall commitment to the project, so it's very good news," he said.

The Crown company – which Ottawa is attempting to sell – needs some good news.

It has been plagued by delays in re-starting its Chalk River research reactor – which provides critical supplies of medical isotopes. It has also faced costly delays with its refurbishing of a Candu 6 reactor at Point Lepreau, while Ontario has shelved a plan to purchase its new advanced Candu reactor, the ACR1000.

At 720 megawatts, the Candu 6 is a smaller reactor than the ACR1000, and AECL is attempting to sell a newly modified Candu 6 to Romania and Argentina.

MacDiarmid said the Romanian government won't make a final commitment to the project for another 18 months, but he said the Candu technology is the preferred option if it does proceed.

The current reactors at Cernavoda produce 20 percent of Romania's power.

AECL is working with EnergoNuclear S.A., which is 51-percent controlled by Romanian utility, Nuclearelectrica SA in partnership with several European utilities and industrial companies. EnergoNuclear was formed a year ago to undertake the construction and operation of the two new reactors.

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