Romania extends energy alert and delays coal plant shutdowns past EU deadline

Emergency alert extension and coal deferral

On 28 August 2026, the Romanian government voted to prolong the national energy state of alert through 30 September 2026. The decision keeps safety mechanisms active under Government Decision no. 603/2026, giving transmission system operator Transelectrica extended powers to manage the grid. Alongside the alert extension, the executive approved a memorandum postponing the retirement of lignite-fired power units at Turceni and Craiova. Romania had agreed to take 710 MW of coal and lignite capacity out of service by 31 August 2026 under Target 119a of its National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Under the revised timetable, units 1 and 2 at Craiova will operate until the end of the second quarter of 2027, while unit 5 at Turceni will remain in service until the end of the first quarter of 2028.

The Romanian government justified the postponement by pointing to adverse hydrological and climate conditions.

The extension is justified by the continuation of the severe hydrological deficit on the Danube, the forecast of high temperatures and increased electricity consumption during peak hours, as well as the reduced forecast production from wind and photovoltaic sources.

Danube drought and nuclear shutdown

The intervention follows an acute water shortage on the Danube River, where flows dropped to the lowest levels recorded in national monitoring. The low water flow prompted a complete shutdown of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant on 13 August 2026 due to cooling constraints. Cernavodă normally delivers approximately 20% of Romania's total electricity production, leaving the grid with reduced baseload supply. Plant operators do not expect to restart the reactors before mid-September. The prolonged drought has simultaneously curtailed output at domestic hydroelectric plants, while weather services project solar output will stay under 3,000 MW and wind generation will remain low.

Grid management and peak demand pressures

Officials anticipate evening peak power demand exceeding 7,500 MW as temperatures remain above seasonal averages into early September, particularly across southern and western regions. This higher load coincides with workers returning from summer vacations, industrial plants resuming operations after scheduled maintenance, and schools reopening. To manage supply deficits between 18:00 and 22:00 when solar output drops, Transelectrica possesses a phased protocol to maintain network balance. The operator can order generating facilities to increase fuel reserves, start units held in technical reserve, and reduce or cancel commercial power export allocations. Staged load shedding for large consumers is authorized only as a final measure.

European Commission notifications and compliance

The Ministry of Energy began alerting European authorities earlier in the month, issuing an early warning to the European Commission on 7 August 2026 regarding potential electricity shortfalls. On 10 August 2026, Romania submitted a formal notification detailing the grid deterioration, domestic response measures, and requests for regional cooperation mechanisms. The coal phaseout under Target 119a is linked to Romania's sixth and final payment request under the PNRR. Government spokesperson Ioana Dogioiu indicated that the executive has not yet learned whether Brussels will impose financial penalties for keeping the coal units operational.

The Commission will carefully analyse the amendments made to the decarbonisation law.

The European Commission will assess compliance with Target 119a once Romania formally submits its final payment claim.