ROMANIA: Hydropower installations, like in Răstoliţa, must be completed as soon as possible for Romania’s energy security – Fechet

Hydropower facilities, such as the one in Răstoliţa, must be finished as soon as possible, of course by complying with all procedures, European directives and studies, said, on Tuesday, in a specialized conference, the Minister of Environment, Water and Forests, Mircea Fechet.

“Beyond my capacity as Minister of the Environment, Waters and Forests, I cannot help but think about Romania’s energy security and such hydropower facilities, in my opinion, should be completed as soon as possible, of course, respecting all the procedures, all the directives European studies and everything we have to do. But they have to be finished. It’s a bet that I made with Mr. Burduja (Minister of Energy n.r.) in the hope that this year we will produce the first kilowatt/hour of electricity in the county. Mureş, in Răstoliţa. I say that we will succeed in doing this”, emphasized Fechet.

He stated that in the context of climate change, very little is discussed about water, a resource that we will have to value, especially since it is exhaustible and often generates conflicts.

“We discuss water and so little about water in the context of climate change. We must start from the fact that water is an exhaustible resource, it is a resource that we will have to value. Not infrequently, water generates conflicts. If we are going to ask anything another mayor in Romania, who is the main function of a hydro installation, will probably tell us that the main and most important function is to provide drinking water for the population or water for the local industry. And he is right. If we ask him, instead , the colleagues from hydro, which is the most important function of an arrangement, will tell us that Romania’s energy security is more important than anything else”, explained Mircea Fechet.

The competent minister mentioned the fact that, above all, we should “make sure that we produce electricity when we need it”.

“Not to mention the fellow farmers who, in discussions related to food security, which is also very important, will tell us that irrigation and water for agriculture is very important. I think everyone is right. (…) we had discussions with ambassadors or counterparts from other countries and there are countries, like Israel, that manage to reuse almost 100% of the water they use every day. I think 97% is the figure that Israel has in this chapter and it is extraordinary that , instead of spending money and bringing it to a quality standard so that it can be discharged into another water course, it manages to use it in agriculture. I think that Romania should, in terms of water management and water reuse, to take important steps. I remember that in my childhood in the country, my grandparents had that barrel in which all the water from the house was collected and which was often used to water the garden of rain goes on Saturday’s water, just to make a joke. That water could easily be used, because it does not require any kind of treatment, but often, if it reaches somewhere, it ends up in the sewerage network and we pay for it,” said Mircea Fechet.

Officials from ministries and institutions participate, on Tuesday, in the conference with the theme “Climate changes – The great challenges, the great risks”, organized by Antena 3 and the National Meteorological Administration.