Romania and nuclear energy
Two new units will be developed at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant (southeastern Romania).
Leyla Cheamil, 15.03.2023, 14:00
The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted, as a decision-making body, the draft law on the approval of the signing of the Support Agreement between the Romanian state and the Nuclearelectrica National Company for the project of Units 3 and 4 at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant (southeast). Nuclearelectrica has a major role at the national level, contributing over 18% to the total energy production and 33% to the total CO2-free energy production in Romania. It uses the Canadian CANDU 6 technology, based on natural uranium as a fuel and heavy water with a moderator and cooling role. The purpose of the agreement adopted by the Romanian deputies is to establish the effective methods of cooperation between the parties, by establishing commitments and obligations of the Romanian state regarding the provision of the necessary measures to finance the project, the implementation and adoption of support measures, including legislative measures.
According to the data published on the Nuclearelectrica website, the project of the CANDU Units 3 and 4 CNE Cernavodă is included in the Energy Strategy Project of Romania 2019-2030 to be accomplished by 2050. It is also mentioned in the National Integrated Plan in the field of Energy and Climate Change, as a pillar of Romanias energy independence and of the fulfillment of the CO2 reduction targets assumed by Romania as a member state of the European Union. The adoption of this law was hailed by the energy minister Virgil Popescu. He emphasized that Unit 3 will come into operation at the end of 2030, and Unit 4 in 2031. Through the implementation of this law, Romanias energy independence and security will be ensured, Virgil Popescu pointed out. Through the implementation of the project, the contribution of nuclear energy to the total energy production, at the national level, will be 36%, and the contribution of nuclear energy to the total CO2-free energy production will be 66%. Consequently, the internal supply chain and other collateral industries will develop.
“Nuclear energy, which is efficient, safe and clean, will make Romania an example at the regional and global levels, through various support partnerships associated with major investment projects”, the general director of Nuclearelectrica, Cosmin Ghiță highlighted. The intention of the Romanian state and of the Nuclearelectrica National Company, in accordance with the new strategy, is to implement this project within a Euro-Atlantic consortium based on the Agreement between the Government of Romania and that of the United States regarding cooperation in relation to the nuclear-power projects from Cernavodă and in the civil nuclear power sector in Romania, initialed in October 2020 in Washington DC. It’s worth mentioning that the US is interested in financing the Romanian energy projects, including nuclear power projects with 7 billion dollars. (LS)
