Romania May Shut Nuclear Reactor as Danube Levels Drop
Romania may shut down its last operating nuclear reactor at Cernavoda by August 13 due to record-low Danube River levels threatening cooling water supplies for the plant that generates one-fifth of the nation's electricity.
Nuclearelectrica, Romania’s state-owned nuclear power producer, announced Tuesday that it may be forced to shut down its second reactor at the Cernavoda plant by August 13 if water levels continue their alarming decline. The company already shuttered one reactor in late July due to insufficient cooling water availability.
The two reactors at Cernavoda, situated on the Danube, generate approximately one-fifth of Romania’s total electricity output. The potential loss of both units represents a critical blow to the country’s power grid during peak summer demand.
Romanian authorities have deployed extraordinary measures to maintain operations at the sole functioning reactor, Cyprus Mail reports. These efforts include underwater detonation of rock obstructions, extensive riverbed dredging, and the strategic placement of rock-filled barges in the Danube to redirect water flow toward the nuclear facility.
Despite these unprecedented interventions, Nuclearelectrica stated that the shutdown decision depends on ongoing monitoring of weather forecasts, continued Danube level deterioration, and operational parameters at the plant.
A director at Romania’s state water management agency confirmed that the Danube’s water flow at the Romanian entry point dropped to an all-time low of 1,370 cubic metres per second on Tuesday, declaring the reactor shutdown “unavoidable.”
The Danube, Europe’s second-longest river, serves as a critical water source for power generation, agriculture, and shipping across multiple nations.
Emergency Energy Measures Activated
Romania has declared a state of energy emergency throughout August, urging both businesses and households to voluntarily reduce electricity consumption during peak evening hours. The government has established a staged power reduction system for industrial consumers, with advance notification protocols in place should mandatory cuts become necessary.
The crisis illustrates Romania’s particular vulnerability as the final country through which the Danube flows before reaching the Black Sea. Officials from the water management agency noted that upstream rainfall in neighboring countries would provide no relief to Romanian water levels.
While Hungary began reactivating a turbine at its Paks nuclear plant Monday following rising Danube levels in that section, the improvement does not extend to Romania’s downstream position.
This summer’s record-breaking heat and widespread wildfires across Europe have severely disrupted power production, shipping operations, and public health infrastructure throughout the continent. Romania’s nuclear crisis represents one of the most serious energy security challenges facing a European nation this season.
With information from Cyprus Mail
