Energy Minister Sebastien Burduya made a grand speech on Monday regarding the implementation of the first small modular reactors based on American technology in Deutschest, Dambowitz County. “It is time to write the future of the world. If not us, then who? The promise we are making is not only for Romanians, but for all of humanity,” the minister said. In fact, many question marks remain regarding the future of the Doiceşti project.

A delegation of journalists from the central press was invited on Monday to a press conference in the commune of Deutschesti, at the place where the world’s first small nuclear reactors using American technology will be built.

The conference was supported by Energy Minister Sebastian Burdugia, the United States Ambassador and representatives of Nuclearelectrica and RoPower, but none of them said anything new about the project.

From the speech of Sebastian Bourduzha:

• “Thank you that we are here today, on a day that I consider historic (actually, apart from the visit of officials, this day did not mean anything special in the course of the project – no).
• For too many years we have become accustomed to catching up, often with heavy breathing, on the past of other people. It is time to write the future of the world.
• These reactors are the promise of safe, fair price and clean energy.
• We’ve all seen the transition from old to new before (Deutschesta had a coal-fired power plant that was demolished many years ago – no), a coal-fired power plant is being transformed, and this miracle is rising from the ashes.
• By the way, humanity has put great things in the way, that’s what we’re talking about here. (…) Such a wonder of the world.
• Robert Kennedy once said, “Many see things and wonder why? Others decide to imagine things and wonder why not?”
• My message is a message of courage: if not us, who really is?
• We will meet again in years to see what man has been able to create.
• The promise that Romania makes is not only for Romanians, but for all of humanity.”

In fact, the project is still in the feasibility study stage and the total cost is not yet known.

The first plant, consisting of small modular reactors, was supposed to be built in the US, but the project fell through last fall due to the very high cost.

In Deutsches, an advantage would be the presence of the necessary energy infrastructure: transformer stations and a network for receiving the generated electricity.

For this reason, the cost of the project can be 20-30% lower than in the US, where the project would cost 9 billion dollars.

The final decision can be made in the spring of next year, when the total cost will be known, and in another year it will be possible to enter the stage of real construction.

The first reactor may be commissioned at the end of 2029.

Officials declined to give a figure for the cost, saying at this time we cannot know whether it will be $4 billion or $6 billion.

Also regarding expenses, Minister Burduja said that the possibility of providing state aid through the mechanism of contracts for difference is also being analyzed.

A month ago, HotNews.ro did a video report in Deutschland to show what local residents think about building the first nuclear mini-reactors using American technology in their community: