nuclear-news

Reactors shut down in Romania were of the Candu design, already notorious for high tritium release when in operation.

Susan O’Donnell. 16 Aug 26

The reactor shutdown in Romania has been reported clearly identifiying the reactors as CANDU design. They are similar or identical to the Point Lepreau reactor operating in New Brunswick and the Gentilly2 reactor in Quebec that was shut down in 2012. Two years ago the Canadian government provided a $3 billion export financing loan to build two more CANDU reactors at the same nuclear site in Romania.

That work has been ongoing with most of the funding coming back to  AtkinsRealis. The Canadian government has been pointing to the new build in Romania in its ongoing efforts to sell more CANDU reactors abroad. CANDU exports are central to Canada‘s new nuclear energy strategy. It will be very interesting to see how this latest development impacts rolling out the strategy. 

David Geary, – Canada has had trouble marketing CANDUs in Europe (and in the U.S)  because these reactors emit way more tritium during routine operations than other reactor designs …  and the E.U. has a much stricter regulatory body than Canada has in that regard.

 Whereas former Soviet republics, like Romania, have more lax regulatory standards, as well as more shady / sketchy / bribery-driven business practices. . 

  A quote from a CleanGreenSask factsheet:   ” …the E.U. allows up to 100 Bq/L of tritium in drinking water, the U.S. allows 740 Bq/L, but the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)  allows up to 7,000 Bq/L ”   This is but one example showing how the CNSC is clearly compromised by the Canadian CANDU reactor 

August 16, 2026 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, EUROPE, safety