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Prime Minister Ciuca met with John Hopkins, president and CEO of US company NuScale
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said that up-and-coming nuclear and natural gas projects capitalize on Romania's potential to become a regional energy hub. The statement comes as the Premier met on Thursday with John Hopkins, president and CEO of US company NuScale, which will develop in Romania the small modular reactors (SMR) technology for the production of nuclear energy.
"The inclusion of nuclear energy in the European Union's taxonomy on sustainable financing is a viable solution for achieving Romania's energy independence and decarbonization goals. By further developing nuclear and natural gas projects we will capitalize on our country's potential to become an energy hub in the region, we will develop the industry and create new jobs," the Prime Minister said in a statement issued by the government's Press Office.
The talks highlighted the importance of the Global Infrastructure Partnership initiative launched at the G7 Summit, and the allocation by NuScale of a $14 million grant for a new phase of the SMR development program in Romania.
"The Prime Minister mentioned that, through the Nuclearelectrica National Corporation, Romania will contribute 9 million dollars to the co-financing of this new stage of the program, considering Romania's target of reinforcing its energy profile, in accordance with the European environmental protection vision and the pledged decarbonisation targets. The Prime Minister also welcomed the opening of a facility in Doicesti, Dambovita County, to support the SMR and the partnership with the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, for the development of a NuScale Energy Exploration Center supporting workforce capacity building, that should provide nuclear experts, technicians and operators in Romania," the cited source mentions.
Nicolae Ciuca specified that the government will continue to support the projects for the construction of Cernavoda Reactors 3 and 4, as well as investments in renewable energy, stressing that the diversification of energy resources and routes is "paramount for ensuring Romania's energy stability and independence".
"The fact that the SMR technology developed by the American company NuScale complies with the highest nuclear safety standards is extremely important in the context where nuclear energy is a fundamental pillar through which we can obtain clean energy at affordable costs for the Romanian citizens and the national economy," Nicolae Ciuca states.