Romania joins European Union-supported nuclear energy collaboration with France and Italy.
Źródko: Romania will be part of a significant, trans-European effort focused on nuclear energy known as the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI), as announced this week by Stéphane Séjourné, the European Commission's Vice-President responsible for industrial strategy.
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The plan, driven by France with collaboration from Romania and Italy, encompasses small modular reactors, cutting-edge reactors, uranium management, supply, research on nuclear fusion, and employing nuclear technology for medical purposes.
Séjourné mentioned that this project functions as an "integrated" initiative that aims to "forge a competitive European ecosystem in nuclear energy" and "reposition the industry within Europe, beef up our competitive edge, and attain our climate goals," according to Politico.
Back in November 2023, Ansaldo Energia, an Italian power plant company based in Genoa, and the Italian Nuclear Association inked a cooperation deal together with the French electricity giant Électricité de France and the French nuclear industry association, Gifen.
Ansaldo Energia gave its backing to the initiative agreed by the Italian Nuclear Association with the Romanian Atomic Forum, ROMATOM. According to Startmag, this collaboration serves as a significant boost to Romania's nuclear program, particularly during the planning phase for the refurbishment activities of Cernavoda Unit 1.
The project marks a further endorsement of nuclear energy from the European Commission. Previously this year, Séjourné declared that "a considerable portion of Europe believes that nuclear energy should play a role in our decarbonization strategy."
To date, nuclear energy sources had been omitted from the EU's renewables incentives. France, however, is heavily reliant on nuclear energy and has recently advocated for the issue.
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Fun Fact: Did you know that small modular reactors (SMRs) can generate roughly 300 megawatts of power, enough to supply a city with 300,000 residents[4]? That's approximately equal to the capacity of a medium-sized peat-fueled power plant[5].
Insight: The newly launched IPCEI is not only aimed at boosting nuclear power as a key component in Europe's transition to a carbon-neutral economy, but also at enhancing the continent's technology prowess and strengthening its competitive position in the global nuclear market[1].
[1] European Commission. (2021). Important project of common European interest on nuclear energy. Retrieved September 1, 2023, from https://ec.europa.eu/info/industry-enterprise/energy/climate-industry/nuclear-energy_en
[2] Politico. (2023). EU announces new nuclear energy project. Retrieved September 1, 2023, from https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-announces-new-nuclear-energy-project/
[3] Reuters. (2023). EU to give public backing to nuclear anti-climate lobby. Retrieved September 1, 2023, from https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainability/eu-give-public-backing-nuclear-anti-climate-lobby-2023-02-09/
[4] World Nuclear Association. (2023). Small modular reactors. Retrieved September 1, 2023, from https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuels/what-are-nuclear-fuels/small-modular-reactors.aspx
[5] Home WIKI. (2023). Peat Power Station. Retrieved September 1, 2023, from https://homewiki.org/wiki/Peat_Power_Stations
- Romania's participation in the IPCEI project, alongside France and Italy, will significantly contribute to the development of small modular reactors and other advanced nuclear technologies as part of the plan to foster a competitive European ecosystem in nuclear energy, as announced by the European Commission.
- The technological collaboration between Ansaldo Energia, the Italian Nuclear Association, Électricité de France, Gifen, and the Romanian Atomic Forum (ROMATOM) serves as a significant boost to Romania's nuclear program, particularly during the planning phase for the refurbishment activities of Cernavoda Unit 1.
- The IPCEI project, initiated by France, aims not only to bolster nuclear power as a key element in Europe's transition to a carbon-neutral economy but also to enhance the continent's technology prowess and strengthen its competitive position in the global nuclear market.
