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President Iohannis: Romania, potential to become important player and European hub in field of energy
Romania has the potential to become an important player and a European hub in the field of energy, President Klaus Iohannis said on last Thursday, at the southeastern Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant.
"Romania's nuclear energy objective is primarily a strategic objective, to ensure energy security at national and regional level. Our country benefits from a balanced energy mix, but we still need new energy capacities, from various sources, not just nuclear, based on new and modern technologies. And we want energy investments to drive the horizontal development of the profile industries in our country. Romania has the potential to become an important player and a European hub in the field of energy, and this potential must be exploited with determination and responsibility. This is the way to change Romania's current energy profile and become a net exporter of energy in the region," said the head of state.
Klaus Iohannis stressed the need for a more ambitious exploration of the opportunities that Romania has in the field of nuclear energy.
"Technological research in nuclear energy carried out by Romanian specialists has its place of honor at European and even global level. Through the projects of specialized institutes in our country, the nuclear energy sector has made considerable progress. Based on a solid tradition of almost 50 years in the nuclear energy sector, Romania makes a firm choice in the development of nuclear energy, a clean and safe energy, a sustainable solution for our energy security. In Romania, nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of domestic production. In other words, one bulb in 5 is lighted by nuclear energy. Of the total clean energy produced in our country, 33 percent is nuclear energy, which supports 11,000 jobs in production, research, innovation, engineering, works and equipment production. The fact that Romania has an integrated nuclear cycle is an extremely important asset. It is a significant asset, which must be preserved, and we will have to find the means to take advantage of the competitive advantages that we, as a country, have in this field," said the president.
He recalled the Intergovernmental Agreement between Romania and the United States of America on cooperation in relation to the Cernavoda nuclear and energy projects and in the civilian nuclear energy sector in Romania. Moreover, President Iohannis pointed out that Romania also counts on cooperation with France in this field.
The head of state showed that in the 25 years of operation, Unit 1 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant has provided, so far, 9 percent of the national electricity consumption and congratulated the specialists who contributed to the reliable and highly safe operation of this unit, deeming it one of the best performing plants of this type in the world.