A strong, independent and energy-secure Romania does not suit some and others, says Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja, after an NGO asked the court to suspend the environmental permit for the Neptun Deep project.

„We were talking the other day that there is a systematic effort to block Romanian energy projects. We see that today an NGO has asked in court the environmental permit annulment for Neptun Deep project. This is a strategic project, one of the most important investments for the country. Because, from 2027, Neptun Deep will double the domestic gas production, ensuring not only Romania’s energy independence (we cover our energy consumption today, from the production of onshore and shallow wells in the Black Sea), but also the security of the entire region. In short, Neptun Deep means a unique opportunity to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas,” the Energy minister wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.

He said that was not a new thing, as there are at least 11 hydropower plants all over the country with an advanced degree of execution, some of them at over 90%, such as Bumbesti-Livezeni, Cornetu-Avrig, Rastolita, etc., respectively billions of euros already invested by the Romanian state, especially before 1989, projects that are blocked because they are systematically challenged in court, at every administrative step, „with top lawyers and incredible resources.”

„I can assure you that, together with the Environment Ministry, the Energy Ministry is fully ready to protect the future of the next generations, clean air and biodiversity. The billions of euros that we have attracted for the production of green energy – thousands of MW in solar parks, wind farms and prosumers – are proof of this. Above all, however, the zero – non-negotiable – priority is Romanians’ energy security. We must turn on the light bulb when we turn on the power switch, not to depend on energy imports from countries that use it as a weapon of blackmail and to have an economic environment as competitive as possible,” Burduja pointed out.

He mentioned that the Energy Ministry is working on a normative act to accelerate strategic investment projects in the sector, including pumped storage hydropower plants (Tarnita-Lapustesti, Bicaz, Olt, etc.).

Greenpeace Romania activists, according to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Monday, are asking the Bucharest Court to „immediately suspend” the environmental permit for the Neptun Deep project and claim that the Constanta Environmental Protection Agency has issued the environmental permit in serious breach of the legal provisions and associated procedures.

AGERPRES