Romania has formally advanced plans to build its first small modular reactor facility after shareholders of Nuclearelectrica approved the final investment decision for a 462 MW project in Doicești, Dâmbovița County. The plant will rely on technology developed by NuScale Power, marking a significant step in Romania’s nuclear expansion strategy.
As part of the package, shareholders cleared up to 243 million dollars in financing for RoPower Nuclear, with an initial 6 million dollars allocated for early engineering and procurement work. The pre-EPC budget has risen to about 600 million dollars. RoPower—owned by Nuclearelectrica and Nova Power & Gas—will follow a phased procurement model, starting with one 77 MW module out of six planned. The remaining units will be ordered only after the first proves its performance, shifting part of the risk to the supplier.
Under the updated timeline, the first module could begin operating in July 2033, while the full six-unit facility is targeted for completion by December 2034. This represents a delay compared with earlier projections but reflects a more cautious and risk-managed approach to deployment.
The project, first introduced in 2021, has received notable international support. The International Atomic Energy Agency issued a positive site review in 2024, and RoPower later signed a front-end engineering and design agreement with Fluor Corporation, NuScale’s majority shareholder. With the investment decision secured, Romania is positioning itself among Europe’s early adopters of commercial SMR technology, aiming to diversify its energy mix and strengthen long-term security of supply.
