Fluor to Conduct Engineering, Design Work on Romanian SMR Facility

Fluor Corp. entered a contract to perform Phase 2 front-end engineering and design (FEED) work at RoPower Nuclear’s SMR facility in Doicesti, Romania. Fluor completed Phase 1 FEED work in Q4 2023 and will recognize the new contract in Q3 2024.

“We are pleased to continue our role in supporting this project to deploy the next generation of nuclear power, producing clean and reliable baseload electricity for Romania and Europe,” said Pierre Bechelany, President of LNG & Power, Fluor. “When completed, this facility will be the first of its kind in Europe.”

Fluor is a majority investor in NuScale, which develops SMR technology approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The project received support from both the Romanian and U.S. governments.

Upper-third of nuclear power module; Image Credits: NuScale Power

The nuclear power plant will deploy NuScale Power’s SMR technology to produce carbon-free power, advancing Romania’s clean-energy initiatives. Under Phase 2 FEED, Fluor will customize the six-reactor plant with NuScale technology, capable of generating up to 462 MW in alignment with European standards.

SMR 101

Kevin Huberty, Senior Vice President and Project Director at Sargent & Lundy, outlined SMR advantages, flexibilities, and more at POWERGEN 2024.

“Citing the advantages, a big one is the smaller footprint of these reactors, along with expected smaller emergency planning zones, make them more flexible for various locations,” said Lundy. “SMRs can be used for baseload power, and they can power up and down faster than your larger nuclear reactors for load-following of renewables.”

Additionally, SMRs have enhanced safety measures with passive core-cooling technology, lowering the need for redundancy and safety-related equipment. The modularization of the technology will help construction schedules to meet expectations, and use of digital controls and security-by-design will reduce operating costs.

Other Fluor Updates

JGC-Fluor joint venture placed the final weld at LNG Canada’s first production train in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada, in July. The joint venture is managing several facets of the LNG Canada megaproject, including engineering, procurement, fabrication, and delivery of modules and the construction of project infrastructure and utilities, marine structures, and an LNG storage tank.

Since construction began in 2018, upwards of 380 pipe welders have worked on the LNG Canada project—a joint venture between Shell, Petronas, PetroChina, Mitsubishi Corp., and Korea Gas Corp. Initially, it will have the capacity to produce 12.7 metric tons of LNG per year with the first shipment slated for mid-2025.