Energy minister: We are considering possibility for Moldova to participate as co-investor in Cernavodă Power Plant

Chisinau, July 18. /MOLDPRES/- Energocom company 100% owned by the state of the Republic of Moldova signed today in Cernavodă a Memorandum of Understanding with Nuclearelectrica Romanian company. The memorandum aims at exploring the options for ensuring the delivery of the nergy produced by Nuclearelectrica from the new capacities that are to enter commercial operation, mainly units 3 and 4 of Cernavodă nuclear power plant, and supporting the development of the capacities and skills of human resources in the nuclear energy.

Attending the event, Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov said that it is a document that will produce effects in the coming years, in the context in which Moldova declared that it wants to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050. "To reach decarbonisation, will require nuclear energy in our energy mix, energy that is climate neutral. Our country does not have the capacity to develop its own nuclear generation projects, but it can benefit from the special relations with Romania and the fact that Romania intends to increase the volume of nuclear energy. So, we are considering the possibility of Moldova participating as a co-investor, in order to ensure safe, sustainable energy at competitive prices in the future", said Parlicov.

The minister thanked Romania because during the crisis it helped Moldova take the first steps in the integration on the European energy market and to purchase energy resources from the West.

"We are very happy to start a new collaboration in the energy field in Cernavodă, a strategic project that our country is very proud of. Out of 400 nuclear reactors in the world, Cernavoda units 1 and 2 are in the top 5 places in the world in terms of efficiency and safety. I have great sympathy for the Republic of Moldova, and the investment plans for units 3 and 4 are one of the projects we can do together," Romania's Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said.

"Units 3 and 4 of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant will be a pillar for the energy sector of both Romania and the Republic of Moldova, as well as for the countries' decarbonization. By putting two more CANDU reactors into commercial operation and by the reactor project small modules, Nuclearelectrica can contribute clean energy to Romania's energy security and, at the same time, support Moldova and other countries in the region. In 2031, Romania will have an installed nuclear energy capacity of 3262 MW, resulting from the operation of units 1 and 2 , from the operation of units 3 and 4 at Cernavodă and from the operation of small modular reactors, which represents about 33% of the market share and approximately 66% of the total clean energy produced in Romania. Together with Energocom we can identify, in time, effective solutions of support, with the common goal of achieving energy security, energy independence and consumer protection in Moldova. We are also proud to contribute to the development of human resources, because development and innovation are based on highly qualified staff," Nuclearelectrica director-general Cosmin Ghiță said.

Energocom bought electricity produced by Nuclearelectrica between October 2022 - April 2023. Globally, nuclear power covers 10% of total electricity demand and is expected to increase to around 17% in IEA member states. In the European Union, nuclear power generates 50% of electricity without greenhouse gas emissions. According to a UNECE report, nuclear power has avoided 74 Gt of CO2 emissions over the past 50 years. Nuclearelectrica's investment projects are green investments and aim not only to achieve energy efficiency, but especially energy security, energy independence and consumer protection.

Photo: Ministry of Energy