Cosmin Ghiță,
Chief Executive Officer of Nuclearelectrica
In December 1996, when the first reactor at Cernavodă began generating electricity for Romania, the project was regarded as one of the country’s most significant technological achievements. Behind it stood years of work, thousands of specialists, and a shared conviction that nuclear energy would become one of the strategic resources of the future. Nearly three decades later, that vision continues to deliver results.
Today, the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant provides approximately 20% of Romania’s electricity and remains one of the most stable sources of energy within the national power system. During years when hydroelectric generation was affected by drought and renewable sources depended heavily on weather conditions, nuclear energy maintained its reliability, reaffirming its essential role in ensuring the country’s energy security and stability.
This is the reality managed by Cosmin Ghiță, Chief Executive Officer of Nuclearelectrica, at a time when the company is undergoing the most significant phase of development since the commissioning of Unit 2.
Nuclear energy possesses a characteristic rarely found in other industries: its projects are built for generations. The impact of decisions made today will remain visible long after the mandates of those who initiated them have ended. From this perspective, the performance of a nuclear company cannot be measured solely through annual financial results or budgetary indicators. The stakes are far greater: safeguarding strategic infrastructure and preparing the foundations for the future.
Under Cosmin Ghiță’s leadership, Nuclearelectrica has entered a new stage in which the focus has shifted from managing existing assets to developing projects capable of redefining Romania’s energy sector.
One of the most important of these initiatives is the refurbishment of Cernavodă Unit 1. To the general public, the project may appear to be a routine technical upgrade. In reality, it is one of the most complex industrial undertakings currently being carried out in Romania. Its objective is to extend the reactor’s operational life by another three decades while maintaining the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and performance.
At the same time, the company continues to advance the development of Units 3 and 4, projects that have been part of Romania’s strategic energy agenda for many years. Once completed, they will transform Cernavodă into one of the most important nuclear generation hubs in Central and Eastern Europe. Their impact extends well beyond the energy sector. Such investments generate economic activity across multiple industries, support supply chains, and create opportunities for companies and specialists in a wide range of fields.
Perhaps the most exciting chapter of this period is linked to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). For the first time in many years, Romania finds itself among the select group of countries actively involved in the development of a technology widely regarded as one of the defining directions of the global nuclear industry.
The SMR project at Doicești has attracted significant international attention because it has the potential to become one of the first commercial deployments of this technology in Europe. Whereas Romania once relied almost exclusively on imported energy technologies, it is now actively contributing to the development and validation of solutions that could shape the future of the industry for decades to come.
Around these projects, an ecosystem has emerged that extends beyond the boundaries of a single company. Universities, research institutes, engineering firms, and industrial partners are working together to develop the expertise that will be required by the future nuclear sector. In this context, Nuclearelectrica’s role goes beyond electricity generation and increasingly resembles that of a catalyst for technological development and innovation.
Another key pillar of the company’s strategy is investment in human capital. Nuclear energy remains one of the few industries in which expertise is accumulated over decades. Training a specialist requires years of preparation, while the transfer of knowledge between generations is essential to the safe and efficient operation of the entire system.
This commitment to continuity explains Nuclearelectrica’s close relationship with academic institutions and its active involvement in programs dedicated to educating the next generation of engineers and nuclear industry experts. Behind every reactor, every procedure, and every project stand highly skilled professionals entrusted with responsibilities in a field where excellence is not optional.
Looking at Cosmin Ghiță’s career, it becomes evident that his work is closely connected to one of the most ambitious transformations ever undertaken within Romania’s energy sector. While many companies remain focused on the challenges of the present, the projects currently led by Nuclearelectrica are designed with a horizon that extends far beyond the immediate future.
Nuclear energy has once again become a strategic sector worldwide. Demand for stable, secure, and low-carbon energy sources continues to grow, and countries that possess nuclear expertise and infrastructure enjoy a significant competitive advantage. Romania is among them.
Part of this advantage is the result of the generations that built Romania’s nuclear program. Another part depends on the country’s current ability to develop and adapt that legacy to new technological, economic, and geopolitical realities. At this pivotal stage, Cosmin Ghiță is among those helping transform a valuable technological heritage into a forward-looking national project—one capable of ensuring that Romania remains a relevant and respected player in the future of European nuclear energy.
