RoPower Nuclear, the company developing Romania's first small modular reactor (SMR) power plant at Doicesti, is the first and only entity in the country to join the American Nuclear Society (ANS), an organisation that for 72 years has promoted innovation, science and nuclear technologies, according to a company release sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday.

'We are delighted to welcome RoPower to the American Nuclear Society as a member of our organisation. By joining a global community of more than 12,000 nuclear professionals and 120 partner organisations, RoPower will contribute to expanding the nuclear workforce and to deepening public understanding and appreciation of nuclear science and technology,' ANS Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Craig Piercy is quoted in the release as saying.

ANS members include renowned companies in the nuclear field, such as NuScale Power, the developer of the technology used for the SMR project at Doicesti, as well as European leaders in nuclear energy such as Framatome.

'The RoPower Nuclear team is now part of a highly reputable group in the nuclear field. It is an honour for us to be the first and indeed the only company in Romania to join the American Nuclear Society, a robust group of professionals synonymous with the development and promotion of nuclear technologies over the past 70 years. Our membership is based on a compatibility of values but also gives us access to this centre of expertise and international support for nuclear energy in general and SMR technology in particular,' said RoPower Nuclear Technical and Operations Director Dan Serbanescu, who has been affiliated with the group of international experts supporting the development of nuclear energy within the society since 2010.

RoPower Nuclear is the project company dedicated to the development of Romania's first small modular reactor power plant, located at Doicesti in Dambovita County. Founded in 2022, the company is jointly owned in equal shares by Nuclearelectrica S.A., the national nuclear energy company, and Nova Power & Gas, part of the E-Infra group.

The SMR project at Doicesti involves the construction of a modular power plant with an installed capacity of 462 MWe, on the site of the former coal-fired power plant in Doicesti. The new facility will use NuScale Power technology through the commissioning of six small modular reactors, each with an installed capacity of 77 MW.

The energy generated by the Doicesti power plant will contribute to the green transition while also maintaining the stability of the National Energy System, through a unique mix of zero CO2 emissions into the atmosphere and baseload energy delivery regardless of weather conditions or time of day. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Badea; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)