Romania embraces nuclear energy

“Nuclear energy is indispensable if basic energy needs are to be met in Europe in the medium term.” This is one of the conclusions of the Conventional Energy Sources and Energy Technology report from the European Parliament (EP). The EP document actually endorses nuclear energy's role as “the largest low carbon energy source in Europe” and a key component in Europe's energy mix.
It is a significant change of perspective compared to a few years ago when energy from nuclear sources was not a subject on the agenda of EU governments. Now, EU member states can no longer avoid the issue. Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, called for a “total and frank debate” on nuclear energy amongst member states.
He stated: “We are now standing on the brink of a third industrial revolution: the low carbon age. Nuclear energy can have a role to play in meeting our growing concerns about security of supply and CO2 emission reductions. It is of course not the EU's role to decide for member states whether they use nuclear energy or not. But we can make a significant contribution to the debate in areas such as research and safety and offer a platform for an open dialogue.” Meanwhile, Neelie Kroes, EU competition commissioner, said that she was “completely in favor of nuclear power.”
Energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs added, “A high level of safety, security and non-proliferation is the absolute condition for the use of nuclear energy. Public acceptance is the second important pillar. Building up trust in the available information and increasing confidence in the use of nuclear energy are vital elements for public acceptance in a democratic society.”

Romania in the game
Currently, 15 of the 27 EU member states operate nuclear power plants, with nuclear energy being the primary supply of electricity in some. More precisely, there are 146 nuclear power plants operating in EU countries, with a capacity of around 134 GW last year. Altogether, about one third of the EU's electricity and 15 percent of its overall energy is supplied through nuclear power.
The Romanian authorities are already talking about a second nuclear energy production unit. Despite the lack of a decision regarding the location for this new project, media reports cite two possible sites: Turnu Severin and Transylvania. This second nuclear power plant will have up to four units and an installed power capacity of 2,400 MW.
“The first reactor is expected to be operational by 2020. After this year we will need another nuclear energy generation unit,” said Teodor Chirica, general manager of Nuclearelectrica.
At the same time, Romania is in full negotiations with six private companies: CEZ (the Czech Republic), Electrabel (Belgium), ArcelorMittal (Romania), Iberdrola (Spain), Enel (Italy) and RWE (Germany). The discussions had been expected to be completed by the end of this year but the state decided to increase its share package to more than 50 percent. The Cernavoda nuclear energy units 3 and 4 are estimated to be finished by 2014 and will cost more than EUR 2.4 billion. Meanwhile, Nuclearelectrica is in negotiations over modernization works at the second nuclear unit in Cernavoda, with costs amounting to EUR 2.4 million, according to the ad posted by the company on the electronic public acquisitions system.

Balkans consider nuclear energy
Recently, companies active in this area have been lobbying for investments in the field. “Nuclear's not the devil any more. The devil is coal,” said Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva. However, Wulf Bernotat, CEO of Germany's E.ON, described nuclear power as “almost a religious issue” in his country, which obtains nearly a third of its electricity from nuclear power plants but currently has a policy to phase out the energy source.
Recently, Alstom signed a framework agreement with Electricite de France (EdF) for the renovation of generators at EdF's nuclear power reactors. The orders coming from this contract will run over ten years and will be worth more than EUR 140 million, according to Alstom information. The first generator rewinds are planned for 2010 at the Belleville and Chooz nuclear power plants. By 2010, EdF plans to upgrade five of its 900 MW by 3 percent.
Also, German company RWE Power is set to take a 49 percent stake in Bulgaria's Belene nuclear power plant project following its selection as the preferred strategic partner by Bulgaria's National Electricity Company (NEK). According to Bulgarian energy and economy minister Petar Dimitrov, RWE is to invest an equity stake of EUR 1.275 billion in the project, as well as providing corporate credit of EUR 300 million. Bulgaria was forced to close two of its four operating reactors at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant in 2006 as a condition of its accession to the European Union, but relies on the other two units to generate some 35 percent of its electricity. It is firmly committed to building a new nuclear power station at Belene to make up for the loss of capacity and exportable surplus generation from the reactor closures.Elsewhere, in the Czech Republic the energy utility CEZ has requested an environmental impact assessment of the planned Temelin 3-4 from the Ministry of Environment.
The Hungarian energy strategy calls for the initiation of a strategy concerning the building of a new nuclear power plant by 2020. New nuclear capacity is most likely to be built at the Paks nuclear power plant site and could reach about 1,000 MW. The Baltic countries together with Poland and the Netherlands are also considering new nuclear power plants or programs.
Meanwhile, Finland and France are taking concrete steps on the road towards nuclear energy. “Two 1,600 MW European Pressurized Reactors (EPRs) are being built in Finland and in Flamanville, France, and are expected to be operational by 2011 and 2012 respectively. Finland is also starting the procedure for the possible construction of a sixth reactor, and France has announced it will construct a second EPR and is planning more reactors by 2020-30,” Ferran Tarradellas Espuny, energy spokesman with the EC, told Business Review. Italy announced this year that only nuclear power could produce energy on a large scale and the country is planning to restart its nuclear sector with a view to constructing between four and eight new nuclear power plants by 2020.
After a decade of no new projects, there are now new major investments in the nuclear sector ongoing or planned, but with a new problem to be handled: nuclear waste management.

By Dana Ciuraru

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