ELCEN signs agreement in Washington on geothermal energy feasibility study

ELCEN Director General Claudiu Cretu has signed an agreement in Washington to carry out a feasibility study on the use of geothermal energy for communal heating in Bucharest, with support from the US Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja wrote in a social media post.He continued meetings with American officials, discussing a project for units 3 and 4 at the Cernavoda nuclear-power plant, a project of small modular reactors, offshore wind energy, the restart of heavy water production, and geothermal energy."In the capital of America, Romania is respected, and energy is on everyone's lips. Joint projects mean prosperity, jobs and secure and competitive energy. My counterpart, Jennifer Granholm, the secretary of energy of the United States of America, sent me a clear message: America relies on Romania as a pillar of stability and development for the entire region. Secretary Granholm has accepted our invitation and will be in Bucharest in July, along with energy ministers from across the region, for a high-level event. Romania is a leader in the energy sector and must behave as such," the minister wrote on the social media.According to him, US support is materialised by accelerating the Romanian civil nuclear programme. In the project for units 3 and 4 at Cernavoda, two prestigious American companies, Fluor and Sargent & Lundy, are at the forefront, and at Doicesti the project of small modular reactors continues, counting on the total involvement of the Department of Energy (DoE)."We also met the management of the three companies, and the conclusion is only one: we accelerate together. Romania's success will also be America's success, and Nuclearelectrica will play the role of leader for the development of similar projects throughout Central and Eastern Europe."Other subjects on the bilateral agenda included offshore wind power, restarting heavy water production and geothermal energy. Specifically, ELCEN Director General Claudiu Cretu signed an agreement to carry out a feasibility study on the use of geothermal energy for communal heating in Bucharest, with DoE support."An older dream of ours is being fulfilled through these efforts: cleaner air and lower maintenance bills for the people of Bucharest - facts, not words."At the United States Capitol in Washington DC, Burduja had bilateral meetings with more than 15 members of the US Congress, including representatives French Hill (Arkansas), Chuck Fleischmann (Tennessee), Pat Fallon (Texas), Mike Turner (Ohio), John Garamendi (California), Brandon Williams (New York), Joe Wilson (South Carolina), Sen. Steve Daines (Montana), Sen. Joe Manchin (West Virginia), Sen. Todd Young (Indiana)."Their support is vital to securing funding for energy projects in Romania. The Romania-US relationship is at an unprecedented level. I want to thank ambassador Andrei Muraru and the embassy team, and also my colleagues at the the Ministry of Energy and Nuclearelectrica, for making all these successes possible."