Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant automatically disconnected from the grid on the evening of May 4 due to a malfunction in an insulator associated with a power output transformer.
The repair work includes replacing the transformer with a backup unit, process requiring a longer shutdown period.
The replacement of an electrical transformer is a complex process that entails isolating, dismantling, and relocating the original transformer, as well as conducting comprehensive testing and calibration of the new transformer (including checks on seals, insulators, and resistors, as well as oil quality, etc.), followed by relocation, installation, and testing prior to commissioning.
”While the repair work is being carried out and the transformer is being replaced with the backup unit, the reactor at Unit 2 is being kept safely shut down, with no impact on nuclear safety, personnel, the public, or the environment, in strict compliance with applicable procedures,” Nuclearelectrica said in its report sent to the Bucharest Stock Exchange and Financial Supervisory on Thursday.
Furthermore, in accordance with the established and budgeted planned shutdown schedule, Unit 1 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant will enter a planned shutdown beginning on May 10, 2026. Disconnection from the National Power Grid will take place at 11:00 a.m.
Planned outages are complex projects, initiated 24 months prior to the scheduled date, with a project management team, implementation schedule, and appropriate human resources and budget planning.
Both the work related to the replacement of the transformer at Unit 2 and the work related to the planned outage will be carried out in a manner that ensures the safety of plant personnel, the public, and the environment, in accordance with the approved procedures used at CNE Cernavoda and nuclear safety standards, the company said in its report.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)