Under the contract, worth EUR36 million (USD42 million), SRS will design, supply and commission a liquid lead loop-type facility (HELENA-2), a liquid lead pool-type facility (ELF) and confined modules to study the interactions between liquid lead and irradiated and non-irradiated fuels during accidents. Italy’s national agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development ENEA, with which SRS has previously collaborated, is nominated subcontractor. SRS will deliver the work by the end of 2028.
The new facilities will be owned and used by RATEN to investigate thermal-hydraulic behaviour, materials performance and component qualification in liquid lead systems. The infrastructure, to be built at RATEN’s Mioveni site in Romania, will support its roadmap toward deploying lead-cooled fast reactor technology and strengthen Romania’s participation in next-generation nuclear systems.
The European Union-funded project forms part of the broader effort to advance the ALFRED (Advanced Lead Fast Reactor European Demonstrator) project in Romania.
A 300 MWt demonstration ALFRED unit will be built at the Nuclear Research Institute’s facility in Mioveni, near Pitesti in southern Romania, where a fuel manufacturing plant is in operation for the country’s two operating Candu reactors. ALFRED is seen as a prelude to an industrial demonstration unit of about 300-400 MWe. The lead-cooled reactor will employ mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel and will operate at temperatures of around 550°C. It features passive safety systems. The total cost of the project is put at some EUR1 billion.
“This contract further strengthens Newcleo’s EPC offering, demonstrating the group’s industry competencies, and ability to deliver complex nuclear projects,” the France-based innovative reactor developer said.
Founded in 1976, SRS has been part of the Newcleo Group since 2023. SRS specialises in the design, supply and commissioning of complex and innovative plants, especially in the nuclear field. In recent years, SRS has worked extensively on experimental facilities for lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) technologies.
“The vertical integration of key suppliers of the nuclear industry sets Newcleo apart from the competition,” said Stefano Buono, CEO and Founder of Newcleo. “Newcleo isn’t simply designing reactors on paper, we are building real infrastructure that generates value for our customers and investors. This contract underscores our ability to generate revenues in the short term while we continue to deliver on our long-term reactor and fuel projects.”
To support Newcleo’s advanced reactor R&D programme, SRS has recently completed the installation of OTHELLO, a 2 MW loop-type lead test facility for qualifying components and materials in lead-cooled environments. SRS is currently working on the installation of PRECURSOR, a 10 MW pool-type non-nuclear test system scheduled for completion in 2026 at the ENEA Brasimone Research Centre, near Bologna, Italy.
