SECURING CRITICAL ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE IN A VOLATILE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT: THE ROLE OF HYDROPOWER IN ROMANIA’S ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE

Abstract

: In the context of hybrid threats and volatile energy markets, securing national infrastructure has become integral to international security policy. This article examines the strategic function of hydropower in Romania, arguing that it serves not only as a stable, dispatchable energy source but also as a structural pillar of national resilience – capable of delivering autonomous, grid-forming capacity during crises. Drawing on the European Union’s REPowerEU strategy, the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, and Romania’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), the analysis demonstrates how the refurbishment of key hydropower facilities such as Vidraru, Lotru-Ciunget, and Stejaru-Bicaz directly contributes to the physical and cyber resilience of the national energy system. The article further contextualizes this argument through the 2025 Iberian Peninsula blackout case study, highlighting the decisive role of hydropower in grid restoration and civil protection. Through a multi-disciplinary lens combining energy policy, defense studies, and infrastructure security, the article presents the view that investments in hydropower modernization are no longer merely technical or environmental in nature but increasingly represent strategic acts of national resilience. As Romania assumes a more prominent role in the regional energy architecture of South-Eastern Europe, hydropower refurbishment emerges as a credible and underutilized tool of forward-looking security policy.