Romanian Minister of Energy Virgil Popescu said that the Canadian Government will support and finance the refurbishment of unit 1 of Romania’s sole nuclear power plant Cernavoda, as well as the project for the construction of two new reactors.
Minister Popescu said that the meeting with Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson was a good opportunity to discuss the joint projects in the field of energy, especially nuclear energy. Romania considers the rehabilitation of unit 1 of NPP Cernavoda and the project for the construction of units 3 and 4 a priority, which would contribute to the country’s energy security and achieving its decarbonization objectives. Both countries, Canada as a technology supplier and Romania as a beneficiary, have a huge responsibility in managing the actions necesSary to develop the project for the construction of two new units in a sustainable term. Minister Wilkinson conveyed the support and funding from the Canadian Government for both the refurbishment of unit 1 and for the construction of reactors 3 and 4 of NPP Cernavoda.
In August 2021, Romania signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Canada to strengthen and further support cooperation in civil nuclear energy projects, following a 55-year relationship between Canada and Romania in the nuclear industry.
The CANDU units project is included in Romania’s Energy Strategy, for the 2019 – 2030 period, with a view to 2050, as well as in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan, as a pillar of the country’s energy independence and the achievement of decarbonization objectives as a state member of the EU.