Romania was forced to shut down its sole nuclear power plant on Thursday, a rare move triggered by the lack of cooling water from the Danube River amid a severe drought that has caused record-low water levels across major European waterways.

The Cernavoda plant, which typically generates about one-fifth of Romania's electricity, relies exclusively on the Danube for cooling. The station was previously shut down only once, in 2023, also due to drought and a hot summer.

Romania's Nuclearelectrica company had already taken one of the two reactors offline last month. On Thursday, it announced the shutdown of the second reactor "due to the significant and ongoing drop in the water level of the Danube River."

Earlier this month, the company, with help from the Navy, attempted to improve the plant's chances of staying operational. Notably, it blasted a rocky outcrop exposed by low water levels and strategically placed the rocks on the riverbed to divert more water toward Cernavoda.

However, continued dry weather and sinking water levels prompted the total shutdown. Plant director Romeo Urjan told AFP, "We do not foresee a restart within the next 10 days."

Romania's Energy Ministry said it is procuring alternative power sources, including wind power and energy imports, to ensure adequate supplies. Still, it appealed to the public to consume responsibly and warned that large industrial users might face restrictions in the evening hours as a last resort.

Carmakers Ford and Dacia have already agreed to pause production until August 19 to save electricity.

Hungary is facing a similar predicament. Its only nuclear plant, Paks, also relies on the Danube for cooling. Prime Minister Peter Magyar visited the site on Thursday and announced the start of construction of a low weir to raise the river's water level.

Currently, only one of Paks' four reactors is operational. Nine days ago, the plant was at risk of a complete shutdown, but the government managed to abort those plans at the last moment as Danube levels ended up a few millimeters higher than forecast.

Before the weir is completed, authorities plan to deliberately sink two 80-meter-long barges, placed end-to-end and perpendicular to the river's flow, to create an initial damming effect. Magyar said Hungarian soldiers are working around the clock and the project should be completed within four weeks, raising water levels in front of the plant's cooling system by more than a meter.

The project might not be finished long before summer fades and rains return, but the low water levels also provide a rare opportunity to undertake such construction relatively cheaply and easily.

Source: www.dw.com