Danube Hits Record Low as Romania Begins Disconnecting Last Active Reactor at Cernavodă

The record-low level of the Danube is deepening Romania’s energy crisis. Nuclearelectrica, the state-owned nuclear power producer, has begun procedures to disconnect from the grid the only reactor still operating at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant.

The plant, built on the banks of the Danube, has two reactors with a capacity of 706 megawatts each. Together, the two units account for approximately one-fifth of Romania’s electricity generation.

The plant’s operations have been hit by drought and the sharp drop in the river’s water level. Nuclearelectrica shut down one of the reactors at the end of July, and the second unit now faces the same risk.

To offset the loss of production, Romania’s Energy Ministry has brought a 330-megawatt lignite-fired power plant online. At the same time, efforts are being made to increase power generation from wind and hydroelectric plants, depending on the water reserves available in reservoirs.

Romania has declared a state of energy emergency for the entire month of August. Households and businesses have been urged to voluntarily reduce their energy use, particularly during peak evening hours.

According to the authorities, the national grid has around 4,000 megawatts of cross-border capacity. This allows the country to purchase electricity from other European countries if necessary.

In the event of a further deterioration, the government has also drawn up an emergency plan providing for the gradual restriction of electricity supplies to industrial consumers.

Before the situation reached this point, Romanian authorities had tried unusual measures to keep the reactor operating. These included blasting a rock barrier, dredging the Danube riverbed and sinking boats loaded with stones in an attempt to redirect the flow of water toward the area near the plant.

Developments in Romania come as large parts of Europe have faced weeks of extreme temperatures, drought and major wildfires. The unusual weather has placed additional pressure on energy systems, river navigation and critical infrastructure in several European countries.

The falling water level in the Danube has thus become a direct threat to Romania’s energy security, as it is endangering one of the country’s main sources of electricity generation.