Energy security also means information security, and Romania must be prepared to defend its critical infrastructure, but also the public perception of its own stability, president of the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) George Niculescu told the EnergIntell 2025 Conference on Thursday.
In a volatile geopolitical context, marked by crises, energy transition and the need for strategic independence, Romania is increasingly asserting itself as a regional energy hub in South-Eastern Europe (SEE), which can support strategic infrastructure and energy security projects with cross-border impact. With a balanced energy mix - nuclear, hydro, natural gas and renewable sources - Romania is at an inflection point between the European green transition and the need for economic resilience and energy security. These are the main conclusions of the 3rd edition of the EnergIntell International Conference - "Energy Concerns in National Security and Business Intelligence", a release informs.
The debates brought to the forefront the convergence between energy, technology, education, institutional credibility and business intelligence as a foundation for regional competitiveness, with the ANRE president highlighting the strategic dimension of energy and the need to protect critical and information infrastructure.
"Energy no longer means just production or transport - it has become a strategic instrument of power. In a geopolitical context marked by pressures and disinformation, energy security also means information security. Romania must be prepared to defend its critical infrastructure, but also the public perception of its own stability," said George Niculescu.
He added that predictability and trust are the basic pillars for attracting strategic investments.
In the context of the profound transformations the energy sector is going through globally, Romania is faced with the challenge of consolidating its energy security, while maintaining the pace with the green transition and sustainable development goals.
"Romania and South-Eastern Europe are at the crossroads of vulnerability and opportunity. The energy future is no longer measured only in installed capacities, but in resilience, cooperation and adaptability. Energy independence is not a destination, but a constant process of consolidating economic sovereignty," declared Daniela Lulache, an international expert in energy policies, during the event.
Corneliu Bodea, president of the Romanian Energy Center and Adrem CEO, drew attention to the importance of capitalizing on Romania's energy mix as a tool for consolidating economic power and independence, in a global landscape marked by competition for resources and influence, where energy has become a central element of economic and geopolitical balance.
"Energy, in all its forms, is the currency of power. Countries that succeed to manage it efficiently will have economic and geopolitical control of the coming decades," believes Bodea.
In a perspective that goes beyond the technological dimension of energy, Mireille Radoi, founder of EnergIntell and general director of the "Carol I" Central University Library, pointed out that Romania's energy progress depends on the capacity of the society to integrate education, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
"We often talk about megawatts, networks and infrastructures, but at the heart of this equation lies something more delicate to build and difficult to defend: trust. Trust between states, between institutions, between generations. The energy transition is not just a technical one, it is also a cultural shift that requires us to communicate and reduce the distance between knowledge and understanding. No level of innovation, not even AI, will save us if we do not find a wise way to materialize it for the good of humanity. Sustainability begins in our minds, before it reaches the market," said Radoi.
The EnergIntell 2025 conference reaffirmed the idea that energy is a vector of national power and stability, and that Romania has the resources, expertise and strategic position necessary to capitalize on the energy transition, stimulate innovation and strengthen regional cooperation in the field.
The event became the pole of these concerns, bringing together representatives of public institutions, academia and the energy sector, along with guests from Australia, Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, the USA and Turkey.
The organizers mention the contributions of Atlantic Council Vice President, Energy and Infrastructure Landon Derentz; founder and director of Strategic Analysis Services BV Erik Elgersma; the Romanian ambassador to Australia Radu Safta; the Director of the RMIT University Centre of Cyber Security Research and Innovation (CCSRI) - Australia Mathew Warren; Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Operations and Commercialisation) at the University of Adelaide Michael Goodsite; Professor of International Politics at Panteion University of Athens Dimitrios Triantaphyllou; Associate Professor at Istanbul University Mian Waqar Badshah; Associate Professor Igor Linkov from the USA; and Senior Associate Fellow at the Egmont Institute Bernard Siman, O.B.E.
"As we move forward in time, let us not forget that energy is the language through which civilization negotiates its future - and here, today, we are its representatives," was Mireille Radoi's conclusion.
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