Romania has an operational and viable gas transport infrastructure that can contribute to regional energy security, already functioning as an important regional gas supply node, stated the Minister of Energy, Virgil Popescu, who participated on Wednesday in the Ministerial Meeting of the International Energy Agency (IEA) regarding gas markets and security of supply.
“During the intervention, I conveyed that the current regional crisis highlighted the vulnerability of the energy sector to geopolitical events, in all its dimensions. And despite all this, significant transformations took place in the European energy sector, which constituted a starting point for a new model of international cooperation, unprecedented in the field of energy, bringing, more than ever, to the forefront of our attention, energy security and the importance of diversifying energy supply sources and routes. Our country has an operational and viable gas transportation infrastructure that can contribute to regional energy security, Romania already functioning as an important regional gas supply node, transporting gas to the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary and further to Slovakia,” said the minister, according to Agerpres.
In this context, the Minister of Energy claims that in these unprecedented times of volatility and transition, partnerships between governments and energy companies remain essential to ensure an open dialogue on an agenda that must stimulate investments, energy security, transition and innovation.
“At the same time, I conveyed to the participating ministers that our country remains engaged and contributes to the stabilization of European and regional energy security, as well as to achieving the desired continuity of energy supply,” Virgil Popescu also said.
The IEA ministerial meeting was chaired by Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy of Canada, and co-chaired by Jennifer M. Granholm, US Secretary of Energy and Irish Minister Eamon Ryan. The event was organized with the support of the IEA Task Force for monitoring the gas market and security of supply (TFG), under the leadership of the organization’s executive director, Fatih Birol.