Restarting Reactor 1 at Cernavodă does not mean that we will pay lower energy bills. Explanation given by Ciprian Cherciu

Unit 1 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant has been restarted after nearly three months offline, with its return to the grid reducing the risk of controlled power supply outages, but without guaranteeing lower bills for consumers.

Energy expert Ciprian Cherciu explained that Romania continues to import electricity for most of the day and that one nuclear reactor covers approximately 10% of national consumption. At the time of the statement, imports stood at around 2,000 megawatts.

In October, Romania came close to the theoretical limit of its import capacity after imports reached approximately 3,400–3,500 megawatts, out of an estimated total capacity of 4,000 megawatts. With two reactors shut down, the system could have approached the need for controlled disconnections.

The restart of Reactor 1 eases this pressure, while the return of Reactor 2 could further improve the situation. However, the approaching cold season will increase consumption, and the domestic shortfall could continue to put pressure on prices.

Cherciu says Romania has the resources to cover its energy needs, including wind, solar, hydro and nuclear power, but these resources are not being sufficiently harnessed. Accelerating domestic production and electrifying transport, heating and industry could reduce the country's dependence on imports and its energy vulnerability.