Gas campaigner
Email: raluca.petcu [at] bankwatch.orgTel.: +420 777 995 515
Raluca joined the Bankwatch Romania team in 2020 and coordinated the organization’s communication activity. Since September 2022 she decided to step forward and contribute directly to the advocacy work as a national gas campaigner. Raluca has a degree in Communication and Public Relations and completed a master’s degree in Project Management.
More from Raluca Petcu
Romania’s big bet on fossil gas proves a reckless gamble
September 5, 2024 | Read more
Romania has hit the EU funds jackpot, securing significant amounts for fossil gas projects. However, implementation has been sluggish. More concerningly, these projects could delay Europe’s energy transition and deepen Romania’s dependence on fossil fuels.
A measure intended to replace Romania’s coal-fired plants with highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) for use in district heating systems is slated for funding under Romania’s national recovery and resilience plan.
This report reveals how much EU public money has been channelled toward the expansion of fossil gas infrastructure in Poland and Romania since 2014 as well as what plans these two countries have for using various EU funding sources to finance additional fossil gas projects in coming years.
As delegates are heading to the annual UN climate conference, rising energy costs expose the precarity of relying on fossil gas. The Romanian government should replace its grand plans for new gas infrastructure projects — which it seeks to finance with EU public money – with an acceleration of the sustainable energy transition.
Romania finally has its first concrete proposal to phase out coal by 2030. However, to ensure a successful transition, the end of coal needs to be linked with plans to increase renewable energy and a commitment to stay away from gas.
