SMR: partnership between DP World, the CEA and TerraWater for a study on the decarbonisation of ports

A feasibility study into the potential integration of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) within the port of Constanța (Romania) has been launched by DP World, a company owned by the Government of Dubai, in partnership with the French public institute CEA (Commissariat à l' énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives) and the TerraWater Institute, the partners announced on 16 June 2026.

This is the first study to be conducted using real-world port operational data to assess the role that small modular reactors could play in powering and decarbonising the port infrastructure of the future.

In particular, the study will analyse:
• the energy requirements of the Romanian port between 2030 and 2050;
• the integration of low-carbon nuclear solutions into a real-world port environment;
• the associated technical, economic and regulatory impacts;
• the challenges of competitiveness, energy resilience and decarbonisation for European infrastructure.

‘Ports lie at the intersection of industry, energy systems and communities. This study aims to understand how future low-carbon energy systems could be…