Romania – energy prospects
Romania and Serbia signed a memorandum for the construction of a gas interconnector between the two neighboring states
Leyla Cheamil, 06.08.2024, 14:00
Romania and Serbia have signed a memorandum for the construction of a gas interconnector between the two neighboring states. The document was signed, on Monday, at Iron Gates I, by the Romanian Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja and the Serbian Minister of Energy and Mines, Dubravka Dedovici Handadovici. According to them, the two countries will make every effort to start the actual construction next year. The investment would be completed by 2028, this project representing a major step in strengthening the energy security of both countries and in the regional integration of markets, by diversifying supply routes.
The Romanian official stated that, through this investment, Romania will obtain benefits for all Romanians: a more competitive market, which will bring the lowest price to consumers, energy security, less islandization of energy systems and the diversification of supply sources. The project will connect the natural gas transmission system in Serbia with the BRUA pipeline in Romania.
Minister Sebastian Burduja:
“We marked the signing of this memorandum aimed at starting this gas interconnector, we call it Arad-Mokrin. It means somewhere around 85 kilometers, and the estimated costs stand at some 80 million euros. Why is the connector important? On the one hand, for the energy security of the region, of Romania and Serbia, the more routes you have, the higher level of security you have in supply and, on the other hand, to have a price as low as possible, a fair price for the final consumer”.
Sebastian Burduja also added that Romania positions itself as a regional leader in the energy sector and a provider of geopolitical stability. “These combined elements, as well as the investment itself in infrastructure, generate confidence and economic growth, jobs and the development of the entire region”, said the Romanian Minister of Energy. He specified that Romania asserts its status as a leader in the energy sector at the regional level by making the resources and specialists at its disposal available to neighboring countries.
In this context, Burduja stressed that, in the first quarter of this year, Romania provided almost 30% of the gas production of the entire European Union. “The national company Romgaz still has big plans: Neptun Deep, the four billion euro investment in the Black Sea, will double the Romanian gas production as of 2027”, said Sebastian Burduja. At the same time, Romania is looking for technical arguments to postpone the deadline agreed with the European executive for closing coal-based energy production capacities. Minister Sebastian Burduja explained that more time is needed to switch to gas energy sources, given that 15% of the country’s energy production still depends on coal. (MI)
