PM Orban at Cernavoda: Big plans for the nuclear power plant - investments of 8-9 billion euros

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Thursday that the incumbent government's objective regarding the Cernavoda nuclear power plant is to make investments worth 8-9 billion euros, in retrofitting unit 1 and building units 3 and 4, with works expected to be completed by 2030.

"We have big plans for the nuclear power plant; our goal is to make investments of 8-9 billion euros: investing into retrofitting reactor 1, also investing in the construction of reactors 3 and 4. Since the inauguration of our government there has been a change in approach, we want to make these investments with serious partners from the Euro-Atlantic area, with partners who have the expertise and the necessary technology to be able to sustain the achievement of these fundamental investment projects for the economic development of Romania," said Orban on a visit to the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant.

According to him, a government team will look for the best solutions for conducting the said investments.

"As soon as possible, following the establishment of a team at governmental level mandated to explore the best options for making the investments, we will negotiate and sign agreements so that we can start these fundamental investments for Romania," said the prime minister, adding that "it is also of great interest to invest in a tritium recovery plant for the production of tritium, and obviously it is of great interest the use of the Cobalt 60 isotope as well, also an extremely useful and sought-after product that can generate economic advantages for Romania."

Orban commended the management team of the nuclear power plant.

"I am commending the management team at Cernavoda for their results as they have managed to cut costs by about 10%, especially maintenance costs, increase profits by 120 million and increase the gross income of employees from 9,000 and something, to 14,000 and something," said the prime minister.

Asked about the year of completion of works on units 3 and 4, Orban said 2030 remains the deadline.

"We have already taken significant steps, (...), we are thinking of potential partners, negotiating the conditions so that they favour Romania as much as possible, a funding scheme for the investments and, certainly, the 2030 deadline is a deadline that we have set as an objective for the completion of reactors 3 and 4," said Orban.