Mini but Mighty: unleashing the potential of Small Modular Reactors – Speakers
Eugenia Gusilov, Director, Romania Energy Center (ROEC), Romania
Eugenia Gusilov is the director and founder of Romania Energy Center (ROEC) – the first independent English language think tank in the country, specializing in energy, international affairs, regional security, and interdisciplinary area studies. Eugenia authors think tank publications as well as special reports, studies, outlooks, market and price forecasts for public and private entities alike. She worked with NATO, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the World Bank, IFC, European Commission (DG Reform), Romanian government, embassies, companies and NGOs on a variety of topics. She specializes in energy economics, policy, markets, investments and infrastructure. Between 2005 and 2008, Eugenia worked as an analyst for the Romanian Diplomatic Institute (Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), in the Department of Political and Strategic Analysis, where she focused on politics and energy in post-soviet countries (Belarus, Ukraine and Russia). Eugenia holds a Master of International Affairs with a concentration in International Energy Management and Policy from Columbia University in New York (2010) and a Certificate in Eastern European and Russian Studies from the Harriman Institute in New York (2011), and a B.A. in European Studies from Bucharest University (2005). Eugenia is a recipient of the Fulbright award (2008-2009, USA).
Dr. Teodor Chirica, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nuclearelectrica, Romania
Teodor Chirica (PhD) is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nuclearelectrica. An engineer with extensive experience in nuclear energy, actively involved in the development of CANDU projects in Romania since the early ’80s, Teodor worked for ISPE, CITON and RENEL, as well as for CANDU Owner Groups. From 1998 Dr. Chirica served in different managerial positions at Nuclearelectrica, a company that he also led as CEO (2005-2009). He also acted as Managing Director of AMEC Nucleare Romania (2009-2013), as CEO of EnergoNuclear – the SPV for Cernavoda Units 3&4 (2013-2017) and as advisor to the CEO of Nuclearelectrica (2017-2019). Mr. Chirica was President of the European Atomic Forum (FORATOM, now called Nuclear Europe) between 2018-2019 and a member of the FORATOM board between 2006-2023. His international experience includes also a year spent with CANDU Owners Group (COG) in Canada (1992-1993), negotiation (for the first time in Romania), on the international nuclear insurance market, of the insurance policies related to Units 1 and 2 of Cernavoda NPP, negotiation with international banks for financing Cernavoda Unit 2, but also with EURATOM, as well as the negotiation of the first Investor Agreement for Units 3 and 4, involving international partnerships, in 2008. He holds a PhD in nuclear sciences from the “Politehnica” University of Bucharest, on the management of radioactive waste, focusing on the decommissioning of nuclear installations. He is also one of the founders of the Romanian Atomic Forum – ROMATOM (2000) and was instrumental in affiliating ROMATOM to FORATOM. Teodor Chirica is the honorary president of ROMATOM since 2019 and a Special Advisor to ROEC since 2015.
Anca Paduraru, Political adviser, European Commission Representation in Romania
Anca is currently a Political adviser at the European Commission Representation in Bucharest. A senior policy and communication advisor with legal background and 15+ years of experience in institutional communication, Anca has previously worked for the European Commission in Brussels in the area of Health, Food Safety, Energy and Climate Change (2017-2020) and for the Communication department of the Prime Minister’s Office of Romania (2015 – 2017). Between 2010 and 2017, she was a press and communication officer with the External Action Service of the European Commission (Spokesperson’s Service).
She holds a Master Diploma in European Law EQF – Level 7 from the European Law Institute of Brussels, Belgium (2006 – 2007) and a Bachelor of Law EQF – Level 6 from “Ovidius” University in Constanta, Romania (2005).
She speaks English, French, Italian, and Spanish.
Giovanni Villabruna, Member of the Board of Directors, ROMATOM, Romania
Giovanni Villabruna is a seasoned professional in the nuclear industry. He holds the positions of Vice President of Ansaldo Nucleare Romania (since 1984) and General Director of Ansaldo Nucleare Cernavoda (since 2008). Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors of ROMATOM. Ansaldo Nucleare has been active in Romania for 40 years, with Mr. Villabruna being the first person the company sent to Romania to manage the Cernavoda contract and the related countertrade (offset) activities. Giovanni’s legacy includes successful collaboration with Canadian company AECL to build and operate Units 1 and 2 at the Cernavoda.
He is a former VP of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Romania and President of Confindustria Romania. In the past, he was also president of Polaris-Anserv Romania and head of Finmeccanica Romania. His accomplishments have been acknowledged through prestigious honors from both Italy and Romania. His honors include the “Commendatore” Order of Merit of Italy (December 2005) and the “Comandor” Commercial & Industrial Order of Romania (September 2007) conferred by the presidents of the respective countries. Giovanni is fluent in Italian, English, and Romanian.
Melania-Simona Amuza, CEO of RoPower Nuclear, Romania
Melania Amuza, CEO of RoPower Nuclear SA, the project company for the development of the Small Modular Reactors (SMR) Project, owned by Nuclearelectrica and Nova Power & Gas (part of the E-Infra Group).
Prior, Melania Amuza was Deputy CEO Commercial and Development of SN Nuclearelectrica SA, where she coordinated the company’s major projects, the Unit 1 Refurbishment, Units 3 and 4 Project, the Tritium Removal Facility Project and the Small Modular Reactors Project, as well as other SNN investment projects, such as the Medical Isotopes Project. Within RoPower, Ms. Melania Amuza leads the development of the NuScale SMR project in Doicesti, Romania.
Ms. Amuza is a graduate of the University of Bucharest – Faculty of Law and the Executive Education Program “Advanced Management Program for Executives” of IAE Business School, Buenos Aires, Argentina. With 25 years of experience, of which more than 15 years in management positions in multinational companies with business in Romania in the energy and oil & gas sectors, Ms. Amuza has managed large investment projects, securing financing and M&A, especially in the energy sector. Within SNN, Ms. Amuza managed complex investment projects, securing financing, commercial strategy of the company in relation to the energy market.
Jessup Taylor, Deputy Economic Counselor, U.S. Embassy Bucharest
Jessup Taylor joined the Foreign Service in 2008. He currently works as the acting economic counselor at U.S. Embassy Bucharest. His previous assignments include serving as political officer in Tel Aviv (2019-2022) and London (2015-2018), as desk officer for Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina in Washington D.C. (2013-2015), as economic and consular officer in Sao Paulo (2011-2013), and as consular officer in Shanghai (2009-2011). His awards include several State Department Superior Honor and Meritorious Honor awards, and decorations from the Central Intelligence Agency and the Governments of Croatia and Israel.
Prior to joining the State Department, Jessup worked in the private sector in the United Kingdom. He earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and a master’s degree in Diplomacy from Lancaster University (UK). Jessup hails from Charlotte, NC. He has studied Hebrew, Mandarin, Czech, Portuguese, German, and Russian. He is joined in Romania by his wife and their son (age 6), both dual UK-U.S. citizens. Jessup enjoys English football and downhill skiing.
Marin Constantin, Institute for Nuclear Research (RATEN ICN), Romania
Marin Constantin (PhD) is a senior researcher at the Institute for Nuclear Research (RATEN ICN). He has a large expertise in the field of nuclear safety.
He has developed numerical algorithms, methods and computer codes (PIJXYZ, CP_2D) for integral transport calculation in complex geometries. He contributed to the methodological development to simulate severe accident phenomena in CANDU type reactors, with relevant results in the elucidation of aspects of transport and deposition of fission products in the primary system and in the containment, source term formation, its propagation in the environment, and spent fuel pool severe accident associated phenomena.
He currently works in the ALFRED project research group and chairs the Scientific Council of the Institute.
Roxana Nistor, Lecturer, Nuclear Engineering Division, Politehnica University, Bucharest
Roxana is currently a Lecturer at the Faculty of Energy Engineering at the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest. She teaches nuclear engineering for undergraduate and master programs, courses such as Nuclear Power Plants, Nuclear Reactors Engineering and Technology, and Probabilistic Safety Assessment. Roxana holds a PhD in nuclear engineering from the Politehnica Bucharest, on the CANDU severe accident modeling and assessment and severe accidents management measures including uncertainty evaluation. As part of her current position at Politehnica Bucharest, Roxana conducted training activities for: ICN Pitesti as part of the PROALFRED project – “Activities for Preparing the ALFRED Research Infrastructure in Romania” in 2020; Cernavoda NPP CROs training program (2019, 2022 and 2023). She is also supporting training and consultancy for RELAP/SCDAPSIM users in partnership with Innovative Systems Software (USA). She has been involved in several research activities on CANDU severe accident analysis including uncertainties as part of the Coordinated Research Project “Uncertainty and Sensitivity for Severe Accident Analysis in Heavy Water Reactors”, and LFRs for the Coordinated Research Project “Benchmark of Transition from Forced to Natural Circulation Experiment with Heavy Liquid Metal Loop”.
Andrei Goicea, Policy Director, NuclearEurope, Belgium
Andrei Goicea graduated in 2002 from the University Politehnica of Bucharest (Faculty of Power Engineering) as a nuclear engineer and the “Spiru Haret” University (Marketing and Foreign Trade Faculty) as an economist. He also holds a master from Politehnica University of Bucharest (Faculty of Power Engineering) in nuclear safety and radiological protection (obtained in 2003).
Starting with May 2015, he is at NuclearEurope (formerly named FORATOM) where he currently holds the position of Policy Director. From his current position he is dealing with the European policy matters impacting the nuclear sector.
Previously, he has worked at Nuclearelectrica in Romania (2003 – 2013) and at Mochovce Units 3 and 4 Project in Slovakia (2013-2015).
Artem Voitekhin, First Secretary on Economic Affairs, Embassy of Ukraine in Bucharest
Artem Voitekhin joined the team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 2014. His current position in the Embassy of Ukraine in Romania covers bilateral cooperation in sectoral economy. That includes energy, logistics, transport corridors.
His previous experience in the Ukrainian MFA includes the diplomatic service in the Embassy of Ukraine in the Islamic Republic of Iran (2014-2017).
Artem came to the MFA of Ukraine from the Ministry of Economy Ukraine, where he worked on international cooperation with the CIS countries.
He studied English, German, Romanian, and a little bit of Chinese and Farsi.
Natalia Piotrowska, Head of Political & Economic Department, Embassy of Poland in Bucharest
Natalia Piotrowska is the Deputy Head of Mission, Head of the Political and Economic Department at the Embassy of Poland in Bucharest. Between 2017 and 2020 she worked as political officer at the Embassy of Poland in Ankara. Before starting her diplomatic career, she worked as Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Kent (2014-2017).
She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science (University of Wrocław, Poland) and PhD in International Relations (University of Kent, UK).
She speaks English, Spanish, Turkish and Romanian.
John Gorman, President & CEO, Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA), Canada
John Gorman is the President & CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA). In this position, he serves as an industry spokesperson and oversees all of the organization’s activities including government affairs, research, communications and industry leadership.
Before joining CNA, John was the President & CEO of the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA), the national trade association for Canada’s solar energy industries. Immediately prior to that role, he served as Senior Vice President of Empower Energies, an innovative, global integrator of energy systems.
John is a founding member of the Canadian Council on Renewable Energy (CanCORE). John has served as a director on the boards of numerous community and corporate organizations, including one of the nation’s largest electric utilities.
Brian Fehrenbach, SMR Supply Chain Development, Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI), Canada
Brian Fehrenbach joined the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) in 2021 after 20 years of developing nuclear business opportunities around the world. Starting with Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd followed by Candu Energy and Ontario Power Generation, Brian has worked with governments, private companies and partners to develop and implement business strategies for market entry and growth.
Now with the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries, Brian works to develop the Canadian nuclear industry’s domestic and international market share, as well as the development of a pan-Canadian nuclear supply chain through OCNI’s Ready4SMR Program. This program will better enable the Small Modular Reactor projects planned across Canada to be successful, and ultimately lead the Canadian nuclear supply chain into global opportunities.
He also continues to lead OCNI’s international activities through the Canadian Government’s CanExport program and other opportunities that represent areas of potential growth for the Canadian nuclear industry, such as here at the World Nuclear Exhibition. Brian has two degrees in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo.
Bogdan Termegan, Director of Operations, ROMATOM, Romania
Bogdan graduated from the University of Manchester’s School of Mechanical, Aerospace & Civil Engineering with a first class degree with honors. He co-founded the UAV society there. He now works with Nuclearelectrica as an Expert within the Investments Division and as a Procurement Specialist with RoPower. His work revolves around the supply chain aspects of the SMR project which will be implemented at Doicesti, Romania with particular focus on localization. Bogdan has been developing software projects for 5 years and as part of his 4 years with Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace in Derby, UK he was involved in the certification of the TRENT 7000 long-haul engine for the Airbus A330neo. Therefore, his interests are at the intersection of energy, software and aerospace.
