Post by Energy Policy Group

⚡Nuclear power is in the midst of a global renaissance, as decarbonisation targets, energy security concerns and growing electricity demand converge. EPG’s latest policy paper examines Romania’s nuclear expansion and its challenges. Romania's nuclear programme, consisting of refurbishing Unit 1, building two CANDU reactors (Units 3 & 4) at Cernavodă, and an SMR at Doicești based on American technology, is valued at over EUR 15 billion. The country's recent attempt to fund the Unit 1 refurbishment as non-priority projects under the Modernisation Fund found no EU-level precedent. Also affecting Romania’s nuclear expansion is its diminished manufacturing base, with no new construction in decades. Suppliers cannot invest without guaranteed orders. Romania will also need more nuclear engineers than universities currently produce, especially for construction-phase work ahead of 2030–2035 commissioning targets, making the programme dependent on an international workforce likely to be in short supply. EPG experts recommend that Romania: 🔹Sustains and deepen its partnership with Canada and the US, while also pushing for EU-level diversification of enrichment and conversion capacity; 🔹Moves decisively toward an integrated financing architecture for each project consisting of CfD, bilateral credit lines and facilities structured as a single package. The final investment decision for Units 3 & 4 must be treated as a major near-term policy decision in Romania's energy sector; 🔹Develops a national nuclear skills taskforce, pre-FID training commitments with Nuclearelectrica and key contractors, and a procurement framework with conditional order guarantees for domestic suppliers; 🔹Creates a coordinated national nuclear communication strategy and formal early-participation mechanisms in response to declining public support. Read the full study written by Alina Arsani, Radu Dudau, Nadia Maki and Alexandru Chivu, with support from Clean Air Task Force: https://lnkd.in/ewrmeESA