Romania shuts down only nuclear plant as record-low Danube threatens Hungary's Paks too

Romania shuts down Cernavoda as Danube hits record low

Romania's state-owned Nuclearelectrica began a controlled shutdown of Unit 2 at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant on the morning of 13 August 2026, disconnecting it from the grid just before midday. The Danube, which supplies cooling water to the plant's two 706-megawatt reactors, has fallen to record lows after weeks of scorching heat and minimal rainfall across Europe. Unit 1 was already shut down in late July.

Plant director Romeo Urjan told AFP that a restart is not expected soon.

We do not foresee a restart within the next 10 days.

Cernavoda normally generates about a fifth of Romania's electricity. It has only been shut down once before, in 2003, also because of drought.

Emergency diversion efforts fall short

Romania had spent more than 2 million euros on efforts to keep the reactors running, including detonating a rock obstruction in the Danube, dredging the riverbed, and sinking four rock-filled barges near the Bala Canal to redirect water flow toward the plant. Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan declared a nationwide state of alert in the energy sector on 31 July for the month of August.

The measures ultimately failed as Danube levels receded below what is necessary to keep the reactor operational. Nuclearelectrica stated that maintaining both units in a safe shutdown state has no impact on nuclear safety parameters, including personnel, the environment, and the population.

Romania's power alternatives

The energy ministry activated a 330-megawatt lignite-fired power plant and is relying on increased wind generation and hydropower from available reservoir water. The national grid has a cross-border capacity of roughly 4,000 megawatts to enable electricity imports, the ministry said, adding that all European operators are coordinating to ensure supply safety across grids affected by weather conditions.

The government has prepared a system to cut power for industrial consumers in stages with prior notice if needed. Automakers Dacia and Ford suspended production in Romania until 19 August to help reduce the energy deficit. Consumers have been asked to voluntarily reduce consumption during peak evening hours.

Hungary's Paks plant on the brink

Hungary has so far avoided a full shutdown of its only nuclear plant at Paks, which also draws cooling water from the Danube. The 2-gigawatt Soviet-era plant, with four reactors, supplies about one-third of Hungary's electricity demand. Output was cut to just over 10% earlier this month before recovering to 25% of capacity. Plant officials said Danube levels were so low that suction nozzles could not reach the water.

Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on 13 August that the government would build a riverbed sill, a submerged dam-like structure, to raise water levels. He had warned last month that Paks could be forced to shut down entirely for the first time in its 44-year history.

Broader climate pressure on European rivers

The Danube has fallen to its lowest levels in 30 years in several countries. Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating at twice the global average rate, according to the Copernicus climate service. The Rhine is also suffering low water levels, severely limiting shipping traffic.

Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, a professor at the Central European University in Vienna, said scientific modelling shows Central Eastern Europe becoming drier.

This is not only due to less rains, but because the soil moisture and in the groundwater levels have dropped over the past years, and less precipitation and more heatwaves exacerbate soil drying.

Italy's agricultural trade association Coldiretti estimated that climate-related damage including hail, drought, and wildfires could exceed 3 billion euros. Peter Radgen, professor for efficient energy use at the University of Stuttgart, explained that heat and drought reduce power generation in thermal plants, including nuclear and coal, either because insufficient water is available for cooling towers or because the residual heat cannot be absorbed by reduced river volumes without exceeding permitted maximum temperatures.