Romania has commenced a controlled shutdown of the second reactor at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant on Thursday, amid an ongoing severe drought impacting Europe. The prolonged scorching heat and inadequate rainfall have led to the Danube River reaching record low levels, prompting the state-owned Cernavoda plant to shut down its first reactor in late July. This facility is critical, as it accounts for approximately 20% of Romania's electricity generation when both reactors are operational, utilizing river water for cooling.
The plant operator, Nuclearelectrica, announced that the decision to initiate a controlled shutdown of Unit 2 was driven by the continued and significant decrease in the Danube River's water levels. The official statement was directed to the Bucharest Stock Exchange. In a related development, Romania's Ministry of Energy declared on Wednesday that the country's electricity supply would be entirely supported by alternative sources and imports following the shutdown of the second reactor.
On July 31, acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan had declared a nationwide state of alert in the energy sector for August, which was intended to prevent a shutdown of Cernavoda's second reactor. Romanian authorities undertook unprecedented measures in their efforts to address the situation. Last week, they began the process of sinking four barges filled with rock near the Bala Canal on the Danube. These barges, which were blasted from the river using explosives, were designed to create an underwater barrier aimed at redirecting water flow towards the main channel of the Danube and subsequently toward the Cernavoda plant.
However, despite these attempts, the water levels of the Danube ultimately fell below the threshold necessary to maintain operations at the Cernavoda reactor. Nuclearelectrica reassured that keeping both units in a safe shutdown state would not compromise nuclear safety parameters, including the safety of personnel, the environment, or the surrounding population.
This situation in Romania is part of a broader challenge in the region, as Hungary is also planning several measures to mitigate similar issues. Hungarian authorities have proposed sinking barges and constructing a bed sill to elevate the water level of the Danube this week. These efforts are crucial for ensuring the ongoing operation of Hungary's sole nuclear power plant, Paks, which is on the verge of shutting down for the first time in its 44-year history.
