NNSA Administrator Jill Hruby Remarks at NNSA-CNCAN 15 Year Celebration

Good morning, everyone, it’s an honor to be here today. Secretary Tinca, thank you for your remarks on the 15 years of cooperation between the United States and Romania on nuclear and radiological security. And thank you to the NNSA team and our incredible counterparts from the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control, who organized today’s celebration.

I’m here to recognize not just the special relationship NNSA has with the Commission, but the important relationship between the United States and Romania. As President Biden noted earlier this year when President Iohannis visited the White House, for 20 years Americans and Romanians have stood shoulder to shoulder in mutual defense of peace, stability, and our shared transatlantic values. Romania has been a vital partner in NATO - strengthening the eastern flank and protecting norms in the Black Sea.  And since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we have also witnessed the generosity of the Romanian people. On behalf of all Americans, I want to thank you for providing safe harbor for so many Ukrainians fleeing the violence that Russia is inflicting. Additionally, your continued commitment to providing both Ukraine and Moldova with equipment, fuel, discounted electricity, and emergency grid balancing assistance has been vital for them to persevere and fight the unprovoked invasion. 

Of course, this conflict has changed nuclear and radiological security concerns as well.  Russia’s reckless, norm-shattering activities around Chernobyl, Zaporizhzhia, and radiological sites across Ukraine is a stark reminder of the diligence needed to realize the potential of peaceful nuclear uses and avoid nuclear or radiological incidents. A bit ironically, this is when the world really needs nuclear power and nuclear technology.  There is unprecedented interest in nuclear power to provide energy security and help combat climate change.  Other nuclear technologies are also maturing that can support health, food security, and other sustainability goals.  The IAEA has shown how nuclear technology can have a positive impact on all 17 of the UN’s sustainable development goals. However, the anticipated growth in nuclear facilities, materials, and expertise represents a challenge to nuclear nonproliferation, counterterrorism, and security in today’s deteriorating global environment. The sharing of safeguards and security approaches and lessons learned will become even more vital going forward. Romania’s location at the intersection of the Danube and the Black Sea, two of the region’s busiest trade routes, makes your efforts to combat nuclear and radiological theft and smuggling a linchpin of nuclear security in Central and Eastern Europe.

The longstanding cooperation between the United States and Romania in nuclear and radiological issues is an excellent example of a relationship founded on security and prosperity over destruction and coercion. NNSA and the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control have partnered together across the many facets of nuclear and radiological security, including law enforcement response, transportation practices, and safe collection and storage of disused sources.

Our collaboration has strengthened over time and reflects both better approaches to nuclear and radiological security as well as evolving standards to meet new threats.  Our early engagements focused on enhancing Romania’s capacity to implement and sustain radiological security systems and practices. Over the years, those engagements have evolved and today Romania is a regional leader in radiological security, helping bolster awareness and capacity of others. Impressively, since 2009 the Commission and NNSA have secured over 20 buildings that house radioactive sources, preventing the material from being smuggled, trafficked, or used for malign purposes.

Romania was the first international partner to pilot NNSA’s transport security tracking and reporting, or TSTAR system. This equipment will provide the Commission, emergency response organizations, and Romanian law enforcement the ability to receive location and security alerts for radioactive materials in transit. The technical and operational feedback provided by Romania has helped NNSA improve the system and we are grateful for the partnership.

Currently, we are focused on promoting non-radioisotopic alternative technologies in select areas. NNSA and the Commission are coordinating on a multi-year project to replace Cesium-137 blood irradiators with irradiators using x-rays produced by a linear accelerator.  Blood irradiation increases the safety of blood transfusions, especially for individuals with compromised immune systems. This radiological source replacement project aims to completely remove high activity Cesium-137 from Romania.  Just last month, x-ray installation and Cesium removal was completed at the Fundeni Clinical Institute, a major milestone. Since 2014, NNSA has been engaged in replacing Cesium-137 irradiators in the U.S. and we look forward to sharing this technology and approach with Romania and getting better together.

The U.S and Romania also coordinate closely in regional and international organizations like the European Commission and the IAEA. Romania plays an important role in coalition building to advance key nuclear and radiological security goals. This year the United States and European Commission issued a joint statement on enhancing radioactive source security to prevent the use of radioactive materials in acts of terrorism, building on previous activities.  And last month, NNSA’s Office of Radiological Security, the Commission, and Romanian law enforcement hosted a technical visit of Moldovan partners to share best practices on using central alarm monitoring at radiological facilities to execute a coordinated, timely, and effective physical security response.

And of course, we are cooperating on civil nuclear energy technology. When my boss, U.S. Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, was here in July for the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation Ministerial, she touched on the extraordinary Intergovernmental Agreement between the United States and Romania on energy cooperation. She expressed her enthusiasm for obtaining key milestones in U.S.-Romanian nuclear energy cooperation, including plans to modernize the Cernavoda Power Plant, and advancing the development and deployment of small modular reactors while maintaining high safety, safeguards, and security standards. 

While the United States and Romania have been strong defense allies for decades, we are moving into an era where defense alliances and partnerships must be leveraged for development, energy, industry, and mutual prosperity. I am excited for how much further the United States and Romania can take our partnership.

All of this, as President Biden would say, demonstrates leadership not just in the example of our power but in the power of our example. Multilateral cooperation and healthy partnerships like the United States and Romania, like NNSA and National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control, are vital to making sure the power of the atom is used for the benefit of humanity to achieve energy security, health, and prosperity. I am confident the next 15 years of cooperation between our two great organizations will be important, and even more impactful. 

Thank you.