Bolojan announces the unlocking of a project for ensuring the cooling of the reactors at Cernavodă

The interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced the establishment of an interministerial group to unblock the Bala 2 project, aimed at ensuring the necessary flow for the smooth operation of the units at Cernavodă. At the same time, he emphasized that, after the controlled shutdown of Unit 2 at Cernavodă, Romania's energy situation is stable and there are no risks of blackout.

The shutdown was caused by the decrease in the flow of the Danube, and Bolojan mentioned that the missing nuclear energy, of approximately 650 MW, will be compensated by hydro, wind, coal production, and imports. He also highlighted that the European Commission has been notified about the crisis situation.

The interim Prime Minister blamed "the lack of vision, poor decisions, and evasion of responsibility in recent years" for the situation at Cernavodă.

A 10-year-old project, taken out of the drawer to ensure the cooling of the reactors at Cernavodă

He announced the establishment of an interministerial group to unblock the "Bala 2" project, which would allow for an increase in the flow of the Danube and ensure the operation of the units at Cernavodă.

The project, started 10 years ago, Bolojan claims, has been neglected by the Ministry of Transport, but now it will be prioritized, he asserts.

"The project includes a series of hydraulic works, dredging works, and works for navigation safety. According to the project data, the investment would allow for an increase in the water level on the Old Danube by over a meter and nearly a doubling of the flow," emphasized the interim Prime Minister.

According to him, the Galati River Administration will organize the bidding for design and execution, and in 3 years "we could complete the works and ensure cooling water for both reactors 1 and 2, as well as for reactors 3 and 4."