Romania May Shut Down Nuclear Reactor Due to Low Danube Water Levels

Romania may shut down reactor 2 of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant on Thursday because the Danube river has reached a critical level. According to Nuclearelectrica, technical preparations for the shutdown have already begun. The water level at Cernavodă has dropped to minus 230 centimeters, a threshold below which the plant cannot secure the water volume necessary for operation. Romanian water authorities reported that the river flow at the border reached a historical low of 1,370 cubic meters per second on Tuesday morning. With no significant rain expected in the catchment area for five days, the reactor could remain offline for at least two weeks.

Authorities attempted to prevent the shutdown by dredging the riverbed, blasting rocks, and removing approximately 100,000 cubic meters of sediment over the last week. While these efforts were unable to stop the current crisis, dredging continues to potentially accelerate the reactor's restart once water levels rise.

The Romanian energy ministry has developed plans to compensate for the lost electricity. These measures include importing more power, restarting a reserve unit at the Rovinari coal plant, and increasing hydroelectric production where possible. As a last resort, the government may limit electricity use for large industrial consumers between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. While no residential restrictions are planned, the government has asked the public, companies, and public institutions to reduce consumption during evening peak hours. The Cernavodă plant is Romania's only nuclear facility, and its two reactors typically provide a significant portion of the country's electricity.