Romania Shuts Down Last Nuclear Reactor As Danube Hits 90-Year Low

Romania has begun the process of shutting down its sole operating nuclear reactor at Cernavoda, located on the Danube River. This decision comes as record-low water levels on the Danube have forced similar shutdowns in central and eastern Europe in recent weeks. The reactor at Cernavoda typically contributes around a fifth of Romania's electricity generation.

Following the shutdown, the country plans to rely more on wind power and has switched on a 330-MW coal-fired power plant to compensate for the loss of electricity from the nuclear plant. Cernavoda's director, Romeo Urjan, stated that a restart of the reactor is not expected within the next ten days. In an effort to ensure a stable water supply for the reactors, Romania attempted to divert the Danube's flow by blasting a rock formation and using barges filled with rocks, but these measures only proved effective for a brief period.

Hungary, similarly, is planning to sink barges and construct a sill on the Danube to maintain water levels and keep its nuclear power plant operational. The Paks nuclear plant in Hungary has already resumed electricity production as river levels have risen due to rainfall in Austria. The heatwave and lack of rainfall across Europe have also impacted nuclear power output in France, with the country curbing its nuclear electricity production again amid the fifth heatwave to hit western Europe this summer.