The National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies (ICIT Rm. Valcea) was established in 1970 as a research focused Industrial Pilot Plant with the main goal of developing a heavy water production technology.

Within ICIT there is an experimental pilot plant for tritium and deuterium separation, which has as main purpose the development of tritium separation technique from heavy water used as moderator in CANDU-like nuclear reactors as those existent at CNE Cernavoda.

The CNE Cernavoda detritiation installation (CTRF) was designed primarily to reduce the level of tritium from the reactor moderator 1 of the nuclear power plant, from 54 Ci/kg - an estimated value to be achieved in 15 years of continuous operation, up to a threshold of maximum 0.54 Ci/kg.

Under a contractual agreement ICIT Rm.Valcea and AECL are to jointly produce both a pre-feasibility and feasibility study for the project. The pre-feasibility study completed in August 2006, provided the rationale for choosing the Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange-Cryogenic Distillation process for the Cernavoda TRF.

After reaching the planned threshold in the water of moderator 1, the CTRF can alternatively provide the reduction in heavy water activity from the moderator of reactor 1 and 2 respectively.