Europe primarily needs energy security at affordable prices, and reducing dependence on Russian energy imports, increasing security of supply and accelerating the energy transition go hand in hand, said Dan Dragoș Drăgan, State Secretary, Ministry of Energy, at the Cybernetics Resilience Forum, an event organized by the Romanian Energy Center Association, in partnership with the Euro-Atlantic Center for Resilience under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

”The energy crisis showed that Europe needs foremost energy security at affordable prices. There are two pillars: sustainability in the energy sector, in paralel with reducing gas emissions. I our view, reducing dependency on Russian energy imports, increasing our security of supply and accelerating energy transition go hand in hand. However, we need a new perspective, which incorporates the national specificities and capabilities, as well as the needs of our citizens,” said Dan Dragoș Drăgan.

He said that countries must use all energy resources available, at nationwide level.

”There is also a need for massive investments in renewable energy sources and modernization of infrastructure. We must maintain fair and affordable pricing energy for customers,” he added.

At the same time, Frank Hajdinjak, vice president, Romanian Enegy Center said that Romania needs to invests further in digitalization.

”Digitalization is an absoulte must. Of course, we are more exposed to cyber attacks and cyber resilience becomes more and more critical…With the growth of renewable energy, lots of new players enter the market, and, in order to integrate them, we need to make the system stable and work, and a lot of digitalization is required. This affects the investment programs of distribution and transport companies and of producers,” Hajdinjak said.