National Company Nuclearelectrica has launched a tender for a feasibility study on doubling the production capacity of CANDU-6 nuclear fuel assemblies, a contract estimated at 630,000 euros, according to an announcement posted on the public procurement platform.

'The object of the procurement is the development of the technical and economic documentation related to the investment 'Doubling the production capacity of CANDU-6 nuclear fuel assemblies' - Feasibility Study phase, in accordance with Government Decision No. 907/2016 on the stages of development and the framework content of technical and economic documentation for investment projects financed from public funds. Clarifications may be requested up to 20 days before the deadline for submitting offers,' the announcement states.

Each CANDU-6 natural-uranium fuel bundle produced at the Nuclear Fuel Plant provides reactors with the energy equivalent of 470 tonnes of conventional fuel with a calorific value of 7,000 kcal/kg, 1,110 tonnes of hard coal, 2,220 tonnes of lignite, 317 tonnes of fuel oil or 363,000 cubic meters of natural gas.

The procedure is an open tender. The procurement does not involve a framework agreement and is not subject to the public procurement agreement.

Economic operators must prove an average global turnover of at least 700,000 euros (VAT excluded) over the last three years (2023 - 2025). The participation guarantee is 6,300 euros or equivalent, irrevocable, and valid for at least the minimum period specified in the documentation.

The winning group of economic operators must form an association under Article 66 of the Sectoral Procurement Law No. 99/2016. The contract execution is subject to special requirements.

Bids or requests to participate may be submitted until May 27, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., in Romanian.

The Pitesti Nuclear Fuel Plant (FCN) is the only nuclear fuel plant in Southeastern Europe and the only CANDU-type fuel producer in Europe. In 1995, FCN Pitesti obtained qualified-supplier certification for CANDU-6 fuel from Atomic Energy Canada Ltd. (AECL) and Zircatec Precision Industries Inc. (now Cameco Fuel Manufacturing), according to a Nuclearelectrica Facebook post dated February 2, 2026, marking 34 years of uninterrupted activity since its establishment in 1992.

Between 2004 and 2006, FCN doubled its production capacity to supply fuel for both units of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, reaching an authorized capacity of 46 fuel bundles per day. Between 2009 and 2014, the fuel-bundle manufacturing line was modernized.

Producing a single nuclear fuel bundle requires 1,435 components: 2 grids, 37 Zircaloy-4 elements, 1,110 sintered pellets, 74 plugs, 54 skids, 134 thin spacers and 24 thick spacers.

Nuclearelectrica (SNN) operates the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, which runs Units 1 and 2 with a combined capacity of 700 MWe, as well as the Pitesti Nuclear Fuel Plant, a qualified producer of CANDU-6 nuclear fuel. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Tilica; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)