The Canadian government intends to provide 3 billion Canadian dollars to finance the new CANDU nuclear reactors of the southeastern Cernavoda plant, the Ministry of Energy informed Tuesday night, in a press release sent to AGERPRES.
"Today in Ottawa, Sebastian Burduja, the Romanian Minister of Energy, and Jonathan Wilkinson, the Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, made the announcement according to which Canada can support with up to 3 billion dollars the financing of the development of nuclear projects by Nuclearelectrica, the operator Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant and respectively Energonuclear, the SNN subsidiary for the development of the project. Romania will build two new CANDU (Canada deuterium uranium) type nuclear reactors at Cernavoda (units 3 and 4). These will make a significant contribution to achieving our objectives regarding ensuring the energy security of Romania and Europe, with a major impact in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions," the press release read.
At the same time, the development of the two nuclear units will create significant economic opportunities, both for Romania and for Canada.
According to the ministry, the construction of the two additional CANDU-6 reactors will add 1,400 megawatts to the energy grid in Romania, with export potential to neighbouring countries, currently dependent on energy resources from Russia. The new reactors would also help Romania avoid approximately eight million tonnes of carbon emissions annually compared to the coal projection and allow it to achieve its goal of phasing out coal from electricity generation by 2032.
The project is essential for strengthening Romania's energy security, especially in the context of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and will strengthen Romania's potential to become an Eastern European energy hub, providing consumers in Romania and neighbouring countries with safe, clean, gas-free energy with a greenhouse effect and at a fair price, the press release added.