Nuclear power is really assisting Romania on its accession way to the European Union

Full text: The scenario is well-known: oil and gas prices are continuously raising, the climate changes are increasingly harmful, affecting the environment worldwide and the demand for energy is increasingly stringent while the economic and environmental challenges rest the same. The energy mixes hardly cope with the requirements as the restriction ranges and the failure risks of the energy systems are greater and greater. Armies of scientists, economists, politicians, experts and specialists involved in the energy field, including the environmental defenders of the civil society are thoroughly debating these controversial aspects, hoping that an optimum solution will be reached complying with the requirements of the Lisbon strategy and with the sustainable development as well. We must not forget the fund generated by strong financial and political interests that returns huge profits to limited groups of individuals only. The European Union and the USA, China, Japan and South Korea, as well, have been paying a special attention to nuclear technologies, even during the 'hibernation' period determined by the incorrect information on the Chernobyl accident. This error that caused the freezing of the nuclear programs for almost two decades, showed the world wide great loss entailed by the energy capacities shortages. The communities have finally become aware and now, they are reviewing their policies and strategies, especially within the present background determined by the necessity of increasing the security of energy supply. The officials of the European Parliament and European Commission are reconsidering the way of approaching the future energy development, where nuclear is one of the main options. Together with the representatives of the European nuclear industry, FORATOM acknowledges the moment as a priority and a chance to improve and regain public's trust. This is a key element for energy development and coordination of the political actions, through and accurate information on the overall indices and new regional development trends. Public's perceptions is evolving into the right direction with respect to nuclear power. As a result of public debates, more and more people become aware, understand and place proper confidence in nuclear technology that is environmentally friendly while offering safe, reliable and cost effective industrial electricity. Once concluded the Agreement of Accession to the European Union on February 1st, 1995, Romania irreversibly committed itself onto the way of the European integration, assuming increased responsibilities regarding the compliance with the Copenhagen criteria. The conclusion of the analysis carried out by the European Commission '2000 Agenda', confirmed by the Western Europe Nuclear Regulators' Association - WENRA, were in favor of Romania and Slovenia, presently the only countries in the Central and South-eastern Europe that hold nuclear units (Cernavoda and Krsko, respectively) based on western technology design. It is obviously that each country is monitored and evaluated for the purpose of harmonizing all the units' nuclear safety standards imposed on European level. The following conclusions come out of the aforesaid: - The electric power developed in Romania based on the CANDU Western Technology successfully complies with the nuclear safety requirements and standards. Thus, considering this pre-requisite, the process of our country's accession to the European structure is not jeopardized; - moreover by using the own resources of natural uranium and heavy water for the industrial generation of electricity, Romania is contributing to its own safe supply and EU's safe supply as well, after the accession; - the development strategies and policies in the electric power in Romania are harmonized with the present ones provided for the EU development, what is confirmed by the current support granted by EURATOM for the completion of the Cernavoda NPP Unit 2. (author)