ABB wins contract to modernize control and safety systems at unit 1 of the Cherna-voda nuclear power plant in Romania

The Swiss technology company ABB has been selected by the Italian engineering and construction contractor Ansaldo Nucleare to modernize the control and safety systems at Unit 1 of the Chernavoda Nuclear Power Plant in Romania. The investment is part of operator Nuclearelectrica’s previously announced program to refurbish the facility, which aims to extend its operational life by another 30 years, BalkanEngineer.com learned from the Romanian business publication Romania-Insider.com.

The project calls for replacing the existing control infrastructure with the ABB Ability System 800xA digital platform. The scope of the contract includes the modernization of the distributed control system (DCS), Category B and C emergency shutdown systems, the implementation of cybersecurity solutions, as well as support for Category A functions for the backup diesel generators through a combination of conservative equipment and hardwiring.

The modernization of the systems will provide a centralized monitoring platform, improving the plant’s operational reliability and cybersecurity. Unit 1 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (with a CANDU-6 reactor) has been in operation since 1996. The preparatory phase of the refurbishment will continue through 2027, after which the main outage for modernization is scheduled for the period 2027–2030. The plant’s two units account for approximately 20% of Romania’s total electricity generation, and ABB technology is already in use in Unit 2, which entered service in 2007.

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