"The announcement of U.S. President Joe Biden at the G7 Summit confirms the solidity of the Romania- U.S. Strategic Partnership which becomes deeper also in its energy cooperation dedicated dimension.

The US decision to finance with 14 million dollars the preliminary stage of engineering and design studies for the development of small modular reactors in Romania (SMR) is an essential component of the development of the national civil nuclear program.

Using the new type of SMR technology will contribute, alongside the construction of reactors 3 and 4 from the Cernavoda Power Plant, to strengthening Romania's energy profile, in line with the European vision of environmental protection and decarbonisation assumed targets.

Moreover, the development of the nuclear program will boost economic growth, both by revitalizing the supply chain and by positioning Romania as a regional leader of this industry.

The technology of small modular reactors, developed by the American company NuScale meets the highest standards of nuclear safety. This factor is vital in the context in which nuclear energy is a fundamental pillar through which we can obtain clean energy, at affordable costs for Romanian citizens and the national economy.

I encourage the Romanian nuclear industry and experts to contribute to the development of these preliminary stages while observing the highest standards of nuclear safety.

The production of clean, cheap and stable energy represents the future, and through SMR technology, the future is now in Romania as well.

The Government will continue to back the projects developed by Nuclearelectrica, strategic energy companies Transgaz and Romgaz which, alongside the projects implemented by the private sector, will turn Romania into an energy-independent state and energy security provider at the regional level.

Capitalizing on natural gas exploitation projects in the Romanian Black Sea area, those unblocked by the new offshore law, investments in renewable energy, with funding available from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Modernization Fund, means energy stability for Romanian citizens and the national economic environment ".