Romania has two projects selected in the first evaluation of the European Industrial Alliance on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), out of a total of nine European projects for the nuclear reactors of the future, a performance of which we should be proud, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja announced on Sunday.
"This week, news made the rounds about the commitment of IT giants to investing in small modular reactors (SMRs) - clean, band-produced energy for data centres. The energy consumption of data centres, amid the development of artificial intelligence, will grow exponentially. Romania is keeping up with these developments and, through what we have done in recent years, we are positioning ourselves as a leader in the civil nuclear sector. We have a tradition from the '70s, we have professionals, but we also have the courage to take up the latest technologies. Romania is already on the radar of large investors in data centres. The good news comes from Brussels, which recognises our efforts. Two Romanian projects have been selected in the first evaluation of the European Industrial Alliance on Small Modular Reactors, an initiative of the European Commission: NuScale VOYGR SMR, developed by Nuclearelectrica and Nova Power, and EU-SMR-LFR, in short ALFRED, a generation IV reactor developed by RATEN in partnership with Ansaldo Nucleare, SCK-CEN and ENEA. Out of nine projects selected at European level, out of a total of 22 applications, 2 projects are from Romania. A performance of which we should be proud," Burduja is quoted as saying on Sunday in a press statement released by the Ministry of Energy.
He also said that the development of nuclear energy, both at national and European level, is inextricably linked to reducing dependence on the Russian Federation and achieving the EU's competitiveness objectives. Romania aims to reach a capacity of over 3,500 MW in nuclear power plants in the coming years.
"I want to believe that this success will convince, or at least make us think, those who tell us that this technology has no future and that Romania should no longer take on bold projects in energy. The development of nuclear energy, both at national and European level, is inextricably linked to reducing dependence on the Russian Federation, achieving the EU's competitiveness objectives and our common desire for clean and affordable energy. In Romania, we aim to reach in the coming years a capacity of over 3,500 MW in nuclear-electric power plants, through projects planned or underway - either at Cernavoda, or at Doicesti (through SMR NuScale technology), or in Mioveni (ALFRED demonstrator)."
According to the Ministry of Energy, this achievement marks an important step in strengthening Romania's position as a regional nuclear energy leader.
The selected projects are part of a new pan-European initiative aimed at accelerating the development and deployment of SMR technologies in Europe by the early 2030s, including supply chains for future small modular reactors. They were included in the first batch of Project Working Groups (PWGs), following a rigorous evaluation by the alliance's governing board and its secretariat.
The European SMR Industry Alliance, created in February 2024, is designed to support the deployment of such technologies in Europe by bringing together technology designers, supply chain companies, research institutes and financial organisations. Romania, under the selected projects, continues its path to becoming a pillar of stability and progress in the field of nuclear energy in Central and Eastern Europe.