Romania avoids blackout as Danube drought threatens nuclear plant; Hungary halts freight trains

Nuclear plant on the brink

Romania's energy system faced a peak-hour deficit of about 1,800 megawatts on Sunday evening, 2 August, but avoided supply disruptions, according to the Intelligent Energy Association. The immediate threat stems from the Danube's critically low water level, which has jeopardised cooling at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant. Reactor 1 was already shut down at the start of last week, and without emergency interventions, Reactor 2 would have only 4–5 more days of operation, State Secretary Cristian Bușoi told Digi24. On Sunday, crews began detonations and other works to redirect the river's flow toward the plant's intake.

We are at the limit. There should be no supply problems this evening in Romania.

Consumers shielded for now, industry in focus

Household electricity bills will not rise immediately because most residential customers have fixed-price contracts, officials stressed. Dumitru Chisăliță, president of the Intelligent Energy Association, said the probability of higher bills is very low, close to zero, though new contracts could carry higher prices reflecting the current crisis costs. Bușoi confirmed that suppliers have not signalled intentions to raise prices for new contracts yet, but warned that if the drought persists, all the costs from now, all the expensive imports during evening hours, will eventually be reflected in the prices everyone pays. The government will begin talks with large industrial consumers on 3 August to seek voluntary reductions or shifts of energy-intensive activities outside peak hours. In a worst-case scenario, large industrial users could face limited disconnections, but authorities are trying to avoid that.

With every day the period lengthens and conditions become more difficult, at some point all the costs from now, all the expensive imports during evening hours, will eventually be reflected, unfortunately, in the prices we all pay.

Neighbours take emergency steps

The regional strain is visible beyond Romania's borders. Hungary shut down its Paks nuclear plant for the first time in 44 years, removing nearly half of the country's annual electricity production. Prime Minister Peter Magyar appealed for solidarity, especially toward children, the elderly, and those living alone. As a consequence, daytime freight rail transport was suspended and metro and tram speeds were reduced to save power. Serbia, meanwhile, asked citizens to unplug household appliances to lower consumption.

Our electricity system, our public services, and indeed all of us will be under enormous pressure. I ask everyone, starting Monday, to pay even greater attention to one another — especially children, the elderly, the sick, and those who live alone.

Government dismisses rationing fears

Bușoi pushed back against conspiracy theories circulating online, insisting there will be no return to pre-1989 power rationing. "We are not talking about rationing, power cuts, or electricity by the hour. We are not going back to the period before 1989," he said. For households, there is not even a measure under discussion. The critical window is expected to last until 15 August, and the state of alert declared by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan covers the entire month. All available coal and gas plants are running at full capacity, and expensive imports are covering the evening peak. The government's immediate focus remains on keeping Reactor 2 online and managing demand voluntarily.