«Nuclear Option for SE Europe» Conference Convened by IENE and ROEC in Bucharest on May 6

In view of the current debate on European energy security and latest international energy developments, IENE (Institute of Energy for SE Europe) in cooperation with the Romania Energy Centre (ROEC) is convening a one day conference in Bucharest, Romania, at the "Intercontinental Hotel”, on May 6, 2015, to discuss "The Nuclear Option for SE Europe”. This conference which follows the increased regional outreach by both IENE and ROEC will discuss the challenges and opportunities for nuclear power in SE Europe.

High-level officials of major international and EU organizations of the nuclear energy sector will participate in this event. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will be represented by Mr. Ayhan Evrensel, Communication Adviser at the Office of the Deputy Director General (Department of Nuclear Energy). Dr. Theodor Chirica, Chief Executive Officer of EnergoNuclear and Executive Board Member of the European Atomic Forum (FORATOM), will represent the Brussels-based trade association for the nuclear energy industry.

Nuclear energy experts, government officials and executives from major energy companies from various countries in SE Europe will be speaking in this one-day conference. The speakers include Ms. Daniela Lulache (CEO, Nuclearelectrica, Romania), Mr. Mladen Mitev (President, Bulgarian Nuclear Association, Bulgaria), Mr. Yves Brachet (President, Westinghouse, Belgium), Mr. John Saroudis (Regional Vice President, SNC Lavalin Nuclear Inc., Candu Energy Inc., Canada), Mr. Pal Kovacs (Advisor to CEO, Former State Secretary for Energy Affairs, Paks Nuclear Power Plant Ltd., Hungary), Mr. Liviu Gherghe, Senior Director, ELCOMEX IEA, ROMATOM, Romania), Ms. Eugenia Gusilov (Director, Romania Energy Center - ROEC), Prof. Dr. Osman Sevaioglu (Dpt. of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Middle East Tech. University, Ankara, Turkey) and Dr. Ionut Purica (Executive Director, Advisory Center for Energy and Environment, Romanian Academy, Romania).

The ever-increasing global energy demand accented by escalating fuel prices, the pressing need for energy security and most importantly concerns over climate change make the case for a "Nuclear Renaissance”. Despite the accident in Fukushima in 2011 and its negative inheritance on the environmental front, nuclear power is an everyday reality for millions of consumers worldwide since it provides almost 15% of the world's electricity. Many European countries, with some of them belonging to SE Europe and its broader region - such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Turkey - are building or planning to build new nuclear power plants.

In the developing and energy hungry area of SE Europe, nuclear energy can play an important role contributing to a balanced regional energy mix. However, nuclear energy, although recent technological advances on passive failsafe technologies have addressed most of the safety issues, no substantial progress has been achieved for the secure management of radioactive waste. Furthermore, the construction of new facilities is highly expensive, time consuming and requires complex licensing processes normally plagued by long delays and cost overruns.

Nuclear power is a well proven, large-scale technology able to provide the base load required for the further expansion of RES and capable to open the way for the establishment of a carbon-free hydrogen economy.

This IENE/ROEC conference on "The Nuclear Option for SE Europe” will address these controversial issues and will attempt to initiate a cross border public debate for the prospects and limitations of nuclear energy development in the region.

The conference programme and registration details are available through IENE’s website (www.iene.eu).

For further information please contact (0030) 210 3628457, 3640278 FAX: (0030) 210 3646144.