Romania shuts only nuclear plant as heat drops Danube River level

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:52:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Romania shuts its sole nuclear power plant as the Danube River drops to record lows, raising concerns over Europe’s energy security amid warming heatwaves.

Romania’s Cernavodă nuclear power plant has shut down its second reactor after the Danube River fell to dangerous levels, cutting about 20% of the country’s electricity supply. Authorities tried to raise river flow by dumping stone‑laden barges, but the low water prevented cooling systems from operating. Hungary’s Paks plant, also using the Danube, faces a similar threat, while other European rivers like the Rhine have hit record low levels. The crisis shows how heatwaves linked to climate change strain water resources and energy security, forcing reliance on imports and higher costs.

Romania shuts only nuclear plant as heat drops Danube River level

Romania’s sole nuclear power station, Cernavodă, has permanently shut down its second 706‑megawatt reactor after the Danube River fell to dangerously low levels, preventing the plant’s cooling system from operating.

The Cernavodă plant supplies roughly 20% of the country’s electricity, and the shutdown will keep the reactor offline for at least ten days. In the meantime, the country relies on solar and wind during hot daytime hours, and turns to coal, gas and imported power during evening peaks.

To raise water flow, authorities sank barges laden with rocks into the river, but the low water prevented the suction nozzles from reaching the current. Neighboring Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant, which also draws cooling water from the Danube, is under threat of a similar shutdown.

The crisis is an illustration of how heatwaves, driven by climate change, strain transboundary water resources and energy supply chains. Europe is heating twice as fast as the global average, with persistent heatwaves, low river flows, wildfires and supply disruptions becoming more common.

The low Danube levels have also hit record lows for the Rhine, severely limiting river traffic, while agricultural sectors in Italy, France and elsewhere face high costs from hail, drought and fires that could exceed €3 billion.

Overall, the shutdown underscores the urgency of diversifying energy sources and protecting water infrastructure from the impacts of a rapidly warming climate.

Cernavodă nuclear plant on Danube River