Radio România Internațional

Tag: reactors

  • The Summit of the Three Seas Initiative

    The Summit of the Three Seas Initiative

    Romania reached its targets at the Summit of the Three Seas Initiative, said, Wednesday, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis, who was the host, in Bucharest, of the leaders of the European Union countries located between the Baltic, Black and Adriatic seas. During the meeting, two permanent objectives of the Initiative were reconfirmed: reducing the development gaps between the region of the three seas and the rest of the Union, as well as increasing the regional contribution of the Initiative to the process of strengthening transatlantic ties. The talks in Bucharest mainly focused on three key fields of cooperation: transport, energy and digitization.



    Also in Bucharest, Greece became the 13th member country of the Three Seas Initiative, while Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova received the status of associated states. In a joint final statement, the leaders participating in the summit reiterated their unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, again condemning Russia’s aggression. They have pledged to play a key role in the reconstruction of Ukraine, taking due account of all the efforts made at the international and European Union levels.



    The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who made a video speech at the opening of the Three Seas Initiative summit, said he was strongly opposed to any further restrictions on Ukrainian grain exports, because his country still needs funds, in the context in which they have to survive after the multiple Russian attacks. From this perspective, at the meeting in Bucharest, the issue of creating new transport routes for grain from Ukraine was also addressed.



    After the summit, the 5th edition of the Business Forum of the Three Seas Initiative has been scheduled for Thursday. An opportunity for the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to have several meetings with delegations of important American companies on the sidelines of the Forum. Besides the digitization of the administrative system, the discussions focused on the development of research and innovation projects in such fields as artificial intelligence and cyber security. Also in Bucharest, the US special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry, recalled that Romania is among the first countries in the world and the first in Europe to introduce the innovative technology of small modular reactors. The American official warned that the goal of zero emissions by 2050 cannot be achieved without nuclear energy, and the technology of these reactors can contribute to accelerating the achievement of environmental targets. (LS)

  • June 9, 2023 UPDATE

    June 9, 2023 UPDATE

    Protests — A new round of negotiations between the Romanian government and the education trade unions took place on Friday. The trade unionists announced that they received a new offer: an increase by 45% in salaries from January 1, 2024 and not by 40% as it was before, and a bonus of 1,500 lei on October 5, on the International Day of Education, from this year until 2027. The talks took place against the background of the all-out strike and of a new protest rally in Bucharest, in which thousands of teachers participated. Demonstrations also took place in other cities in the country. On Thursday, the government adopted a memorandum on salary increases granted to the education staff through the future salary law – a way in which, it says, it guarantees that this field will be a priority. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă has given assurances that the basic salary of the beginner teacher will be set at the level of the gross average salary, as requested by the trade unionists. Also the memorandum establishes the right of the education employees to a leave allowance calculated according to the basic salary, as well as to increments. The strikers say, however, that Thursdays political declaration has no legal value and that they do not trust the political class in Romania.



    Power plant — The construction of Units 3 and 4 at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant (south-east Romania) receives government support. A support agreement was signed on Friday in Bucharest, and the Finance Ministry will take the necessary steps to finance the project, including by granting state guarantees. Units 3 and 4 at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant would cover over a third of Romanias energy needs and is a necessary investment for the countrys future, said the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă. He stated that this project also had social benefits, by maintaining more than 20,000 jobs.



    Diplomacy – The Russian Foreign Ministry labeled the decision of the Romanian authorities to reduce the Russian diplomatic presence in Romania as a hostile act that will not go unanswered. Specific measures will be announced in due time, commented the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zaharova. The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced that the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Bucharest was informed, on Thursday, about the decision of the Romanian authorities to reduce the diplomatic and technical-administrative staff of the Russian Federation in Romania by limiting their number to a level close to that of the diplomatic and technical -administrative staff of Romania in the Russian Federation. In 30 days at the most, the diplomats’ positions must be reduced by 21, and the technical-administrative personnel positions by 30. Otherwise, accreditations will be withdrawn. The measure was adopted in accordance with the provisions of the 1961 Vienna convention on diplomatic relations and reflects the current level of bilateral relations drastically reduced by Romania after the Russian Federation launched the war of aggression against Ukraine, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced.



    TIFF – Cluj (north-west of Romania) is, for ten days, the capital of international cinema, hosting a new edition of the Transylvania Film Festival – TIFF. Almost 200 films will be screened, 12 being in the official competition. Famous actors and directors from the country and abroad have announced their presence. Among them the American director Oliver Stone, the Australian actor Geoffrey Rush and the British actor Timotis Splash. Inspired by real events that happened in Sibiu in December 1989, “Libertate”, the latest film made by the Romanian director Tudor Giurgiu, will have its world premiere at TIFF. The Romanian actor Horaţiu Mălăele, who will perform in Cluj, will receive an excellence award during the festival.



    Statistics – The European Union’s economy registered an increase of 0.1% in the first quarter of this year, compared to the similar period of 2022, according to data published by the European Statistical Office, Eurostat. The most significant annual advance was registered by Spain, Cyprus, Malta, with over 3%, and Romania, with 2.8%. Although the European Union managed to narrowly avoid recession, the euro zone, which includes 20 states, registered two consecutive quarters of economic contraction, by 0.1%, thus entering a technical recession. (LS)

  • US funding for small nuclear reactors

    US funding for small nuclear reactors

    While in Germany at the G7 summit in Munich, the US president Joe Biden announced funding in the amount of USD 14 million for Romania. The money is designed to finance the preliminary stages, i.e. the front-end engineering and design study, for the small modular reactors developed in a partnership with the US. Romania will be the first country in Europe to use this American technology.



    As the US president put it, in Romania, the US firm NuScale Power will be the one managing this first-of-its-kind small modular reactor (SMR). This will help us reach zero emissions faster, more cheaply and more efficiently. The US government has contributed in advance to the development of this innovative technology, to strengthen European energy security and create thousands of jobs in Romania and the US.



    The US has already supported the development of SMRs in Romania, contributing to a detailed study conducted over 18 months. Following the study, a decommissioned thermal power plant in Doiceşti, Dâmboviţa County, in southern Romania, was identified as the location of the first of the 6 planned reactors.



    Romania intends to become a regional SMR production and operation hub, and aims to build the first unit by 2030, the Romanian authorities announced last autumn, after announcing the signing of the agreement at the COP26 summit in Glasgow.



    Decarbonisation requires nuclear power, which is why these investments are critical, the energy minister Virgil Popescu pointed out. He says now that the NuScale technology was certified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 2020, following a comprehensive testing process that took over 10 years to complete.



    In Romania as well, Virgil Popescu added, all the relevant certification and regulation procedures will be complied with.



    “We have over 25 years of experience in operating, at the highest safety standards, the 2 reactors in Cernavodă, which rank 1st and 3rd in the world in terms of productivity. We have an experienced regulatory commission, working closely with the regulatory commission in the US, with the Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and with the highest-level nuclear energy organisations in the world. We have an opportunity to put this experience to use and to get involved in a solid project, which will give Romania clean and affordable energy, development for local communities, jobs, the training of a new generation of engineers, and will place Romania at the forefront of training future operators in the region and of the production and assembling of components,” Virgil Popescu posted on a social network.



    In Bucharest, both the president and the PM of Romania welcomed Joe Bidens statements. Ensuring energy security is a shared goal of the Romanian-US strategic partnership, president Klaus Iohannis said. In turn, PM Nicolae Ciucă pointed out that using this new technology will contribute to strengthening Romanias energy profile, in line with the EU efforts to protect the environment and with the decarbonisation targets undertaken at EU level. (AMP)

  • November 3, 2021 UPDATE

    November 3, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 Authorities in Romania on Wednesday reported 10,196 Covid infections in
    the past 24 hours. 451 Romanians have died and over 19 thousand are being
    treated in hospitals, 1890 of whom in ICUs. Bucharest has an infection rate of
    12.89 per thousand and this rate has been going down for the past 12 days from
    the peak of 16.54 reached on October 22. According to the authorities, although
    the number of infections is on a downward trend, the country’s medical system
    is to remain under pressure for at least two weeks. The WHO crisis manager for
    Romania, Heather Papowitz has recommended the authorities to come up with an
    action plan to put an end to the pandemic with clear elements and goals adding
    that vaccination is the only solution.








    GOVERNMENT The National Liberal Party (PNL), number one in the interim government
    in Bucharest on Wednesday kicked off talks with two parties in an attempt to
    forge a Parliament majority. After this round of talks with USR, a former
    ruling partner, Liberal president Florin Citu said there are chances to rebuild
    the right wing coalition that ruled Romania after the election. He said the
    latest round of talks focused on the principles and the programme of ruling. In
    turn USR leader, Dacian Cilos said that he felt there are opportunities for
    rebuilding the coalition but that he is waiting for a clear answer from the
    Liberals. The PNL is going to hold talks with the Social Democrats (PSD) the
    largest Parliamentarian group on Thursday, as they are considering the idea of
    joining the ruling coalition. Talks are underway after the liberal leadership
    has opted for a more flexible negotiation process as the Prime Minister
    designate Nicolae Ciuca failed to muster support for a minority PNL-UDMR
    cabinet and had to step down.








    AID The difficult situation hospitals in Romania are presently
    in has prompted many countries to come to their assistance. On Tuesday, Israel
    sent in ten oxygen concentrators, the first in a batch of 40. The devices will
    be distributed to medical units that treat Covid patients. According to Radio
    Romania correspondent to Jerusalem, Dragos Ciocarlan, Israel is going to
    dispatch a team of IC experts for Covid-19 to help the medical personnel in
    Romania. Romania has also received support consisting of medicines, equipment
    and medical staff from European countries like the Netherlands, Poland, Italy,
    Denmark and the Republic of Moldova. Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, who
    were in a critical condition, were transferred to medical units in Germany for
    treatment. Both Austria and Hungary have taken over patients to be cared for in
    their hospitals. 22 of these have died and 7 have already left hospitals.








    REACTORS Romania will be the first
    country in the world where the US is going to implement the technology of small
    modular nuclear reactors. The Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis, and the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, established, on Tuesday evening, at the climate
    summit in Scotland that, by 2028, Romania should include this type of reactors
    in the national energy production system. A White House statement writes that
    this collaboration will create up to 30,000 jobs in the two countries.
    President Iohannis underlined that this type of cooperation on several levels -
    development of technologies, production, services – must be extended to other
    areas as well. He also pointed out that this close collaboration in the field
    of climate change will add to the successful cooperation between Romania and
    the US in many other sectors and will contribute to the consolidation of the
    Strategic Bilateral Partnership.






    (bill)

  • November 3, 2021

    November 3, 2021

    Covid — 10,196 SARS-CoV-2 infections in 24 hours were reported by the Romanian authorities on Wednesday. 451 Romanians have died, two of the deaths being reported outside the reference interval. Over 19 thousand Covid patients are hospitalized, of whom 1,890 in intensive care. The Covid-19 incidence rate in Bucharest calculated over a period of 14 days stands at 12.89 cases per thousand inhabitants, according to the Public Health Directorate. It is the 12th day in which this rate goes down in Bucharest, the highest rate, namely 16.54 having been reached on October 22. Although the number of new cases has decreased in recent days across the country, the health system will remain under pressure for at least another two weeks – the authorities warn.



    Aid — The difficult situation of Romanian hospitals has prompted many countries to come to their aid. On Tuesday, Israel sent ten oxygen concentrators, the first in a tranche of 40. The devices will be distributed to medical units that treat Covid patients. Romania has also received support consisting of medicines, equipment and medical staff from Europe – the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Denmark and the Republic of Moldova. Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, who were in a critical condition, were transferred to medical units in Germany for treatment. Both Austria and Hungary have taken over patients to be cared for in their hospitals.



    Government — The National Liberal Party – PNL, the number one in the caretaker government in Bucharest, has announced that negotiations start today with Save Romania Union – USR, a former junior partner in the government, and with the opposition Social Democratic Party – PSD, which has the largest parliamentary group, in order to establish a possible majority in parliament. The announcement comes after the Liberal Party leadership opted for what it called the flexibility of the negotiating mandate, because the Liberal Prime Minister designate, Nicolae Ciucă, did not obtain support for a minority government made up of PNL-UDMR (Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania) and relinquished his mandate. PSD is considering entering the government, but does not rule out any scenario. USR still wants to rebuild the right-wing coalition, but asks for clarifications from the Liberals, as the latter’s attitude shows a rapprochement to the Social Democrats. UDMR also calls for rebuilding the old coalition with PNL and USR.



    Reactors — Romania will be the first country in the world where the US will implement the technology of small modular nuclear reactors. The Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis, and the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, established, on Tuesday evening, at the climate summit in Scotland that, by 2028, Romania should include this type of reactors in the national energy production system. A White House statement writes that this collaboration will create up to 30,000 jobs in the two countries. President Iohannis underlined that this type of cooperation on several levels – development of technologies, production, services – must be extended to other areas as well. He also pointed out that this close collaboration in the field of climate change will add to the successful cooperation between Romania and the US in many other sectors and will contribute to the consolidation of the Strategic Bilateral Partnership.



    Summit – Romania has one of the lowest greenhouse gas emission rates per capita in the European Union, President Klaus Iohannis said at a UN climate summit in Glasgow on Tuesday. He also said that Romania would take additional measures to reach the European target of reducing gas emissions by 55% by 2030. World leaders have promised at the summit in Scotland that, by the end of the decade, they will put an end to deforestation and reduce emissions of methane, a gas considered even more dangerous for the planet than the carbon dioxide. The measures are meant to limit global temperature rise to just 1.5 degrees as against the pre-industrial period, as agreed in the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, not all countries seem to be determined to take urgent action to reduce emissions. The absence of the Chinese President from the summit in Scotland is relevant in this regard, as China reports the highest emissions from burning coal. (LS)