Production of nuclear energy, "essential for Romania"

Romanian authorities support the development of nuclear energy production projects.
Presented at a symposium organized by specialty Nuclear Agency and Radioactive Waste, the Economy Minister Vosganian explained why, in his opinion, Romania needs expanding the nuclear program, even if any consumption or price has not grown lately.

"Romanian economy will have a development that will require an increase in consumption in the future, because the energy system must corroborate within the energy strategy with the strategy of re-industrialization of the country with the strategy to increase competitiveness and, in this context, I think that the place of an increase in the production of nuclear energy is appropriate", said Varujan Vosganian.

Varujan Vosganian said that Romania still seeks for investors for reactors III and IV at Cernavoda and it has not given up to the intention to build a new nuclear future in the center of the country.

Experts attending the symposium supported the need for further development of projects on nuclear power, but also detailed the problems facing this area, in particular those related to funding.

Nuclear power - relatively cheap

Experts say that the further development of nuclear energy production program is essential for Romania and that is because the existing power plants for example, that produce with relatively still low costs, because the initial investment has already been written off long ago, will no longer be able to continue without major retrofitting.

When these additional costs will be reflected in the price of energy production, they will be compensated in one way or another, and the nuclear energy can be a variant, the production cost being relatively low and already existing the advanced technologies and human resources needed, the experts say.

In addition, the diversity of energy sources and secure energy coverage are fundamental to the country's energy security.

Moreover, Mayor of Cernavoda, where is built the only nuclear power plant in Romania, draws attention on the fact that heating costs are constantly increasing and that in the not so distant future might become more convenient the heating process with electric energy, another strong argument for seeking solutions to increase energy production, even if currently in our country, and not only, there is a tendency to reduce consumption and energy costs.

The most important problem is, however, the funding - identifying the investors willing to put money into such a project is becoming more difficult.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University