• 1970 – A mission of IAEA experts in Romania favorably advises the necessity to establish the Institute.
• 1971 – Institute for Nuclear Technologies (ITN) is founded, with the main purpose to provide scientific and technological support for the Romanian Nuclear Program.
• 1977 – Research laboratories are commissioned on the new premises in Mioveni-Colibasi, at 130 km NW from Bucharest. The Institute assignments are enlarged by involvement in design activities of nuclear system components. Its name is now changed into the Institute for Nuclear Power Reactors (IRNE).
• 1978 – Quality Assurance Requirements were settled for the reactor operation. The first QA manual was accepted by the Nuclear Authority. Today the Quality Management System is extended to all activities which take place in the institute: research, design, manufacturing and exploitation in the nuclear field;
• 1979 – November 18: the first criticality is attained at the TRIGA Materials Testing Reactor, built within the institute.
• 1980 – Commissioning of the Pilot-scale plant for the fabrication of CANDU-type fuel elements;
• 1983 – Commissioning of the Post-Irradiation Examination Laboratory (LEPI).
• 1984 – Commissioning of the Endurance Test Rig for fuel bundles at the Out-of-Pile Testing Department.
• 1984 – Commissioning of the Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant.
• 1985 – Starting of CANDU fuel bundles fabrication in SPEC (Unit for Fuel Elements Production).
• 1989 – With the arrival of the F/M Heads #4 and #5 intended for Cernavoda NPP-Unit 2, the F/M head test stand is commissioned.
• 1990 – Incorporated in the National Authority for Electric Power (RENEL), IRNE becomes the Institute for Nuclear Research (ICN).
• 1992 – The Department for Fuel Elements Production separates from the Institute and becomes a distinct unit within RENEL, under the name of Nuclear Fuel Factory (FCN).
• 1992 – Beginning of the fuel conversion process at the TRIGA reactor.
• 1994 – The Institute specialists significantly contribute to the commissioning of Cernavoda NPP - Unit 1.
• 1995 – Commissioning at Cernavoda NPP-Unit 1 of the Failed Fuel Location System (SLCD), equipment entirely designed and manufactured by the Institute.
• 1996 – On April 16, the first criticality is attained at Cernavoda NPP-Unit 1, directly involving ICN specialists.
• 1998 – The ICN becomes SCN, a subsidiary of the Romanian Authority for Nuclear Activities (RAAN), as an affiliate branch.
• 1999 – Return of spent fuel to the country of origin (USA).
• 2003 – 2005 – Testing and delivery of two Fuelling Machine Heads (F/M) at Cernavoda NPP – Unit 2.
• 2004 – 25th anniversary of the TRIGA reactor commissioning.
• 2006 – Completion of the TRIGA-SSR Reactor conversion from HEU fuel (Highly Enrich Uranium) to LEU fuel (Low Enriched Uranium).

History by pictures