Romania begins shutdown of nuclear plant due to low Danube

Romania has initiated a complete shutdown of its sole nuclear power plant, Cernavoda, following a record low water level in the Danube River, according to the national nuclear energy company Nuclearelectrica. The shutdown began on August 13, 2026, as both of the plant's reactors, each generating 700MW, needed to be taken offline due to the significant and ongoing drop in river water levels. Nuclearelectrica had previously shut down one of the reactors last month.

Efforts to avoid the complete shutdown included unconventional measures such as dynamiting rocks and sinking barges filled with rocks into the river to divert its flow, with an estimated cost exceeding two million euros. However, Romania's energy ministry stated that alternative energy sources, including wind power generation and imports, would suffice to meet the country's electricity demands. The ministry also appealed for responsible consumption.

The Danube's unprecedented low water level, caused by unprecedented heatwaves and rain shortages across Europe, has reached alarming levels. Nearly two-thirds of the Danube recorded the lowest flow rates for a July month in 34 years, according to an analysis by the European climate change observatory Copernicus. The World Weather Attribution group of scientists warned that human-induced climate change has exacerbated the current drought, which is already severe, and that the problem is set to worsen.