Energy poverty is still a thing in Romania, with the country having one of the highest levels among the member states of the European Union, according to Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja.

„Romania has, unfortunately, one of the highest levels of energy poverty among the European Union states. Although many of us take for granted the fact that we can turn on the light, the TV or the microwave when we get home, the heat from the radiators, the hot water, the truth is that there are still enough Romanians for whom all this is not at hand, especially in rural areas. The effects of such a reality are multiple: we cannot speak, for example, of equal opportunities in education, when one child can do his homework on the computer, and another only by candlelight, sometimes with his hands frozen by the cold. The fact that we have the lowest per capita energy consumption in Europe, lower than Ukraine or the Republic of Moldova, says a lot. About a third of households in Romania are affected, to varying degrees, by energy poverty,” Burduja wrote on Monday in a social media post.

He added that, beyond obvious progress, „the reality is that energy poverty is still a thing in Romania.”

„In 2024 Romania, that is unacceptable, and normalcy should be one in which every Romanian has access to energy resources – regardless of whether they live in a picturesque hamlet in the Apuseni Mountains or in one of the big cities. There is a broader vision of what the development of the energy sector means. We have said it time and time again: investments in green energy, energy efficiency and in the expansion and modernisation of distribution networks are the key to reducing bills in the medium and long term and protecting the environment. Romania must continue to modernise its energy infrastructure and increase the share of renewable energies in its energy mix. But that is not enough.”

He added that in order to have competitive energy prices, all the resources we have, from nuclear energy to natural gas, must be used pragmatically and smartly.

„Romania must not leave anyone behind. We are obliged to use short-term solutions for the most vulnerable – such as price cap decisions – along with medium and long-term strategies, including for increasing the energy efficiency of homes.”

Burduja on Monday participated in the presentation of a World Bank report on energy poverty in Romania.

AGERPRES