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Romania will include, by 2028, small modular reactors in the national energy production system
President Klaus Iohannis met in Glasgow on Tuesday with US President Special Representative for Climate John Karry on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26), with the talks also focusing on the inclusion of small modular reactors in the national system of energy production in Romania, Agerpres correspondent reports.
Combating climate change is a priority for both Romania and the United States, with both countries committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Presidential Administration.
According to the quoted source, the discussion between the two officials focused on cooperation in the development, manufacture and use of low carbon technologies. The strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the field of nuclear and renewable energy, as well as in energy storage and electrification of transport, was also discussed.
In this context, President Klaus Iohannis mentioned that Romania wants to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions, but also to benefit from the emerging green economy. Thus, he stressed that our country is interested in engaging in the development and manufacture of green goods and services and in generating new jobs in partnership with the United States.
According to the quoted source, on this occasion, the President of Romania and the American official announced a concrete step in the mutual effort to reduce emissions from energy systems.
"Romania will include in the national system for the energy production the small modular reactors (SMR) until 2028, which will strengthen the partnership with the USA in the civil nuclear field. Given the advantages generated by the value chains that will be created around this technology, Romania wants to participate in the advanced production of small modular reactors in the region, as well as in the training of human resources and supporting the operation of this new technology in other countries, given that SMR technology ensures adequate sizing and flexibility," said the Presidential Administration.
President Klaus Iohannis stressed that this type of collaboration on several levels - technology development, production, operations support services - needs to be extended to other areas, especially renewable energy and green mobility. He also pointed out that this close cooperation in the field of climate change will complement the successful cooperation between Romania and the United States in many other areas and will contribute to the consolidation of the Strategic Partnership between the two states.
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announce Romania’s Intent to Build First-of-a-Kind U.S. Small Modular Reactor to Address the Climate Crisis
Today, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced Romania’s intent to build a first-of-a-kind U.S. small modular reactor (SMR) plant. By deploying U.S. innovative clean technology first, Romania is taking an initial step—but a huge technological leap—in advancing climate action and clean energy access throughout a critical part of Europe and the world. This multi-billion-dollar effort showcases U.S. ingenuity, creates thousands of jobs in both countries, strengthens European energy security, supports the highest standards for nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation, and, importantly, addresses the climate crisis with clean power.
Many countries are identifying nuclear energy as a key component of their climate plans. SMRs offer lower costs, scalability and flexibility, and are easily integrated with other clean energy sources. They can be deployed to match the specific needs of a country’s power grid, with the ability to scale up quickly as demand dictates. Finally, SMRs can also play a critical role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors beyond power generation. They can be used for clean hydrogen production, industrial process heat, and desalinated water to meet decarbonization goals, air quality standards, and clean water needs.
This pioneering initial step by Romania will build significant momentum for reducing emissions across Europe. With 30 coal power plants in the region, including seven in Romania, SMRs are ideally suited to replace this baseload power and employ many of the same workforce. We are excited about this partnership with Romania in advancing emerging clean technologies.
For more information, please contact the Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation press team @ISN-Press-DL.
Public Diplomacy – Press Office
U.S. Embassy-Bucharest
(Photo:https://www.presidency.ro/ro/media/galerie-foto-video)