Burduja: Romanian coal power plants could be upgraded

Romania has everything it needs to be a regional energy leader, but it is held back by a suffocating bureaucracy and the European Green Deal, according to Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja.

“The European Union’s green policies, although well-intentioned, risk turning our European economies into victims of bureaucratization and decisions not adapted to economic realities,” Sebastian Burduja said.

In his view, United States President Donald Trump has demonstrated to the world that democracies are only strong when their economies are strong. Also recalling that a few days ago the leaders of the European People’s Party (EPP) have met, Burduja claimed they called on a debate on how and if the EU would continue the Green Deal in the coming years.

Of note, he is a member of the National Liberal Party (PNL), part of the EPP.

Burduja: This is not a path to prosperity

The minister added that an economy is strong when it produces safe, affordable, and abundant energy. “Energy that keeps factories open, prices low, and puts food on every family’s table,” he stated.

The EU produced only 3% of the world’s coal in 2024 and accounted for less than 5% of global CO2 emissions, but it applies the toughest environmental policies, Burduja asserted. The Romanian minister is convinced it is not a path to prosperity.

“Romania has the energy that Europe needs. We will have enough for ourselves and our neighbors, from Chișinău to Vienna. But for that, we need to make bold decisions,” Burduja said.

Natural gas, coal, nuclear, hydropower

He outlined why he believes Romania has everything it needs to be a regional leader in energy including natural gas. Coal-fired power plants could be upgraded in line with the latest best available techniques (BAT), to have low emissions and high efficiency, he claimed.

Of note, ten days ago he said Romania intends to extend the operation of its coal power plants by three years.

The country is developing a nuclear program with strategic partners including the US, Canada, Italy, France, South Korea, and Japan.

It has started finalizing dozens of hydropower projects initiated decades ago. The facilities could make Romania the energy engine of Eastern Europe, including in the perspective of the reconstruction of Ukraine, Burduja said.

Burduja: We risk losing the last chance to rebuild the European economy on solid foundations

However, bureaucracy and the European Green Deal are the main obstacles to materializing it, according to the minister.

“It’s time to wake up! If we don’t recover now, we risk losing the last chance to rebuild the European economy on solid foundations,” he said.

Romania, in his words, must have the courage to say that Europeans deserve to pay less for energy and to offer a solution.

Burduja said he would present to the Romanian Government a detailed report on the negative effects of the European Green Deal policies on the country’s energy sector.