Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. Romania, U.S. sign memorandum on green energy storage...

Romania, U.S. sign memorandum on green energy storage through pumped storage hydropower plants

June 5, 2025

Romania's Hidroelectrica and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - U.S. Department of Energy have initialled a memorandum that puts Romania at the forefront of Europe in the storage of green energy through pumped storage hydropower plants (PSH) throughout the Carpathian chain, Romania's Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja announced on Monday."Today, in Warsaw, on the sidelines of the Three Seas Summit, I had an excellent, extensive bilateral meeting with my ministerial counterpart from the United States of America, Christopher Allen Wright, secretary of energy. A graduate of the prestigious universities of MIT and Berkeley, he is one of the most respected personalities in the US energy sector, a follower of a pragmatic line, identical to my position: we need safe, cheap and clean energy - in that order of priorities. It was an essential discussion for the energy future of Romania and our region. We reaffirmed the common commitment to the development of strategic projects that will bring us closer to a major goal: transforming Romania into a strong, resilient and sustainable regional energy hub, under a strategic partnership with the United States of America," Burduja said in a social media post on Monday.According to the minister, the agenda of the discussions included small modular reactors (SMRs) at Doicesti,Romania, as the future of safe and clean nuclear energy, with state-of-the-art American technology (NuScale); Units 3 and 4 of the Cernavoda nuclear-power plant - a strategic project for which we signed the EPCM contract at the end of last year, including with two large American companies (Fluor and Sargent & Lundy); the HVDC project - the high-voltage DC interconnector, vital to the integration of renewables and the strengthening of the grid, to which Fluor is also a part.Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) plants were also addressed, along with the development of a chain of such "green batteries" in the Carpathian Arc, under the collaboration between Hidroelectrica and the prestigious National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - U.S. Department of Energy."I am announcing for the first time that last weeks we signed a memorandum between NREL and Hidroelectrica, an approach that puts Romania at the forefront of Europe in the storage of green energy through pumped storage hydropower plants throughout the Carpathian chain. The pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, developed with American support, follow," wrote Burduja.Also discussed in Warsaw were geothermal energy - ELCEN's agreement with American partners for mapping and developing geothermal potential in Bucharest, a project that will be backed from the Modernisation Fund - and Romania's potential for natural gas production."Our discussion started from the reality that Europe is experiencing today: an increase in energy prices due to the lack of interconnection among countries; the shock therapy of shutting down coal-fired power plants without viable alternatives; costs of CO2 certificates, which affect competitiveness. America knows: a strong and competitive Europe is a guarantor of global stability. For that, we need to move from the Green Deal to the Smart Deal. Romania takes up its strategic partnership with the U.S. at the political and military level, and takes it to the vital business area, where the economic future and energy security are being built. As I said before, the bilateral relationship between Romania and the U.S. in the energy sector is exceptional, as evidenced by today's meeting. Major projects were, in fact, started during the first Trump administration. We reaffirmed our determination to work together in the spirit of the democratic values and economic freedom that define the U.S.-Romania alliance. Together, Romania and the United States are opening a new chapter in our strategic energy partnership. I am more confident than ever in the common future of safe, cheap and clean energy - I repeat, in that order of priorities."

Read in full - click here
Maia Sandu, Donald Trump top list of world leaders most trusted by Romanians

Maia Sandu, Donald Trump, and Emmanuel Macron are the international leaders who enjoy the greatest trust among Romanians, according to a poll conducted by Avangarde. The survey, carried out between September 8–14, shows Romanians’ perceptions of the country’s direction, international political leaders, global institutions, and certain foreign policy topics.  The opinion poll revealed that the world […]

Former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu sent to trial for complicity in attempted coup in Romania

Former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu was sent to trial on charges of complicity in an attempted coup, alongside alleged paramilitary leader Horațiu Potra and 20 other people, Biziday.ro reported. He also allegedly benefited from hybrid warfare operations coordinated by Russia during the country’s 2024 presidential election crisis. Romania’s presidential election

The Tour of Romania ended with a real cycling celebration in the center of the Capital

A caravan of 150 cyclists, 90 cars and 25 motorbikes covered 830 km at the Tour of Romania, the most important local cycling competition, organized between 10 and 14 September by the Romanian Cycling Federation, together with the National Agency for Sports and Auchan Romania, the main co-organizing partner. In addition to the elite sports […]

A Romanian Consortium led by certSIGN to support the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity in strengthening cybersecurity in Romania under NIS2 Directive

certSIGN, a Romania-based company and leading developer and integrator of cybersecurity and cryptographic solutions, has been awarded, following a competitive international tender process, a framework contract to support the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) in providing cybersecurity services to Romania. certSIGN will lead a consortium including Bit Sentinel and CybrOps to deliver cybersecurity preparedness […]

Cluj-Napoca City Hall welcomes pets, mayor says

Pets are now officially welcome inside Cluj-Napoca City Hall, mayor Emil Boc announced on Monday, September 15, describing the move as part of efforts to make the city more modern and empathetic. “Today we are opening the doors of City Hall to our voiceless friends as well. Dear residents, from now on, pets are welcome […]

Romania in talks with Ukraine for joint drone production, minister says

Romania is currently discussing with Ukraine the possibility of developing joint drone production projects, according to defense minister Ionuț Moșteanu. Drones have been at the forefront of the war between Ukraine and Russia, used by both sides for reconnaissance, surveillance, but also deep strikes in enemy territory.  The prevalence of drones on the battlefield and […]