The US government committed $14 million for an engineering and design study that would provide the basis for deploying small modular reactors (SMR) for a new nuclear plant in Romania, euractiv.com informs. The Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study is expected to be completed in eight months, following an investment of $28 million, including contributions from Romanian nuclear power firm Nuclearelectrica and NuScale, the US company that provides the SMR technology. Romania selected the site of a former coal-fired power plant to host the first SMR power plant, and the study will provide key site-specific data – cost, construction, schedule, and licensing details – necessary for the deployment of NuScale’s reactors, the White House said on Sunday (26 June). At the 2021 UN Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow (COP26), US Climate Envoy John Kerry and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced their intent to deploy an SMR in Romania in partnership with US firm NuScale Power. “Nuclear energy, including small modular reactors, represent a critical tool in the fight against climate change and can also enhance energy security and boost economic prosperity. This is a strong step forward in support of Romania’s desire to deploy innovative, safe, and zero-emissions nuclear energy in partnership with the United States,” said Kerry. When fully implemented, this multi-billion-dollar effort will showcase the ability of advanced nuclear reactors to replace coal generation with clean, innovative nuclear energy while creating thousands of jobs and reaffirming the fact that climate change initiatives and sustainable economic growth go hand-in-hand, the US government said. “By partnering with the United States, Romania is also ensuring its investments in nuclear energy uphold the highest standards for nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation, while contributing to the consolidation of energy security in the region,” it added. President Klaus Iohannis congratulated the announcement of US president Joe Biden, on Twitter, on Sunday evening, regarding the financing design studies of small modular reactors (SMR) in Romania, specifying that ensuring energy security represents a common objective of the Romanian-American strategic partnership. Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca also saluted the US government’s announcement. “The development of the nuclear programme will boost economic growth, both by revitalising the supply chain and by positioning Romania as a regional leader in this industry,” said Ciuca. ( See also: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/06/26/remarks-by-president-biden-at-launch-of-the-partnership-for-global-infrastructure-and-investment/)
Romania has reached a purchasing power per capita of EUR 11,105, approximately 45% below the European average – a figure that places the country in 31st place in the European top, according to the "NIQ Purchasing Power Europe 2025" study. Compared to 2024, Romania moved up one position in the NIQ ranking. Comparatively, at a […]
Ionuț Costea, former head of EximBank, and Sebastian Vlădescu, former finance minister, were released on November 5 following an extraordinary prescription procedure, according to a statement from Romania's High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ). The two had been sentenced in 2023 to six and seven years in prison, respectively, for taking a EUR 5.5 […]
Prime minister Ilie Bolojan, who also serves as president of the Liberal Party (PNL), stated on November 4 that, at the meeting of the party's National Political Bureau the same day, support was renewed for resolving the issue related to special (magistrates') pensions this month, but also for the reform in public administration, according to
Knauf Insulation Romania, the local subsidiary of a division of the German group Knauf, has officially inaugurated its new glass mineral wool factory in Târnăveni, Mureș County, after an investment of EUR 140 million, for which the company also received EUR 18 million in state aid. "Our factory in Târnăveni, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, has […]
Corden BioChem, an expert in industrial biotechnology, could resume production at the bioethanol factory it took over from Swiss Clariant in southern Romania (or "Lesser Wallachia" as indicated by the company) at Podari, after the Competition Council authorised the takeover of the steam and electricity supplier. The company announced on its website that the Podari […]
Romania’s general government budget deficit can drop below 6.5% of GDP next year, possibly approaching 6% of GDP, to further drop below 5% of GDP if the tax evasion and tax avoidance are addressed, the head of the Fiscal Council, Daniel Daianu, said, speaking in a conference organised by Curs de Guvernare, as reported by […]
