South Korea has signed a €1.9 billion ($2 billion) contract to refurbish Unit 1 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, marking its first international project in nuclear reactor renovation. The agreement, finalized on December 19, was reached between Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Romania's state-run Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica (SNN).

The project involves a consortium comprising KHNP, Canada's Candu Energy, and Italy's Ansaldo Nucleare, with KHNP managing €840 million ($910 million) of the work. Construction begins in February 2025 and is scheduled to take five years and five months.

The renovation will extend the 706 MW heavy water reactor's operational life by 30 years. First commissioned in 1996, the reactor received an extended operating license in May 2023. The project includes replacing outdated equipment, designing pressure tubes, and constructing radioactive waste storage facilities.

Key contributors include KEPCO KPS, Doosan Enerbility, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, and Samsung C&T, ensuring participation from South Korea's nuclear ecosystem. According to Moon Joo-hyun, professor at Dankook University, the deal positions South Korea as a leader in heavy water reactor technology, bolstered by its experience renovating Wolseong Unit 1.

This achievement reflects South Korea's expanding influence in nuclear energy, with prior successes in Egypt, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.