ABB is strengthening its role in nuclear power automation after receiving a contract to modernize the control and safety systems at Unit 1 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant in Romania. The project is designed to support an additional 30 years of operation and will replace existing systems with ABB Ability System 800xA technology.

System 800xA for Nuclear Automation

The modernization will use ABB Ability System 800xA as the central platform for the plant’s distributed control system. The project also includes emergency shutdown functions for applicable Category B and C functions, as well as cybersecurity solutions covering engineering and testing.

For a nuclear facility with decades of operating history, control-system modernization is a complex engineering task. The objective is not simply to install new controllers, but to create a modern automation architecture capable of supporting long-term operation while maintaining established safety requirements.

ABB already has automation technology operating at Cernavodă Unit 2, which has used ABB systems since 2007. This existing experience provides an established technical foundation for the modernization of Unit 1.

Upgrading Control and Safety Systems

The modernization project covers several important layers of industrial automation.

The new architecture will provide:

• Distributed control system functions
• Emergency shutdown capabilities
• Cybersecurity technologies
• Engineering and testing systems
• Centralized plant monitoring and control
• Integration with conventional hardwired safety equipment

The standby diesel generator Category A functions will continue to use a combination of conventional hardwired equipment.

This combination reflects the different requirements associated with nuclear plant control, where automation, instrumentation, electrical systems and dedicated safety functions must operate together.

Extending the Life of Existing Infrastructure

Cernavodă Unit 1 entered commercial operation in 1996. The current modernization program is intended to support another 30 years of operation.

Extending the life of an established nuclear facility requires attention to aging automation hardware, obsolete control technologies, cybersecurity requirements and long-term spare-parts availability.

For industrial automation engineers, this type of project demonstrates why DCS modernization and lifecycle management are becoming increasingly important.

Rather than waiting until legacy control equipment becomes difficult to maintain, operators can progressively replace critical automation infrastructure and establish a technology platform capable of supporting future operational requirements.

Cybersecurity Becomes Part of DCS Modernization

Cybersecurity is another major component of the project.

Modern industrial control systems are increasingly connected to engineering networks, monitoring systems and other digital infrastructure. As a result, cybersecurity can no longer be treated as a separate IT function.

ABB’s modernization scope includes cybersecurity solutions alongside the new control architecture. This reflects the broader movement toward integrating DCS, safety systems, industrial networking and cybersecurity into a coordinated automation environment.

ABB Expands Nuclear Automation Capabilities

The Cernavodă project is part of ABB’s wider activity in nuclear automation. In September 2026, ABB also signed a memorandum of understanding with Rolls-Royce SMR to explore automation, electrification, instrumentation and communication solutions for small modular reactor projects.

Together, these developments show how automation technology is being applied both to existing nuclear facilities and to emerging reactor designs.

Outlook for Industrial Automation

The Cernavodă modernization highlights a broader trend across the process and energy industries: legacy control systems are increasingly being replaced or upgraded with modern DCS platforms, integrated safety functions and stronger cybersecurity architectures.

For plants operating critical infrastructure, technologies such as System 800xA can provide a foundation for long-term control-system modernization while supporting the reliability, monitoring and security requirements of complex industrial operations.