Romanian authorities have begun emergency engineering work on the Danube to protect cooling-water supplies for unit 2 at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant as drought reduces river flows to exceptionally low levels. One Cernavoda unit has already been taken offline. The remaining reactor continues to operate, but further deterioration in cooling-water conditions could jeopardise a generating unit accounting for close to 20% of Romania’s electricity production capacity.
Danube diversion measures near Cernavoda intake
The planned intervention involves removing a large rock obstructing the river channel and partially closing the Bala branch. Authorities will also sink stone-filled barges and carry out additional dredging. The stated objective is to route more water towards the Old Danube branch that supplies the Cernavoda intake.
Romania’s Naval Forces attempted to clear the obstruction using controlled explosions on 2 August, but the first operation was unsuccessful. A second attempt using larger charges was then planned. In parallel, authorities prepared to sink four barges carrying about 500 tonnes of stone in the Bala branch.
August energy alert and grid contingency planning
The government declared an energy alert for the whole of August. System pressure was expected to be highest until around 15 August, with contingency planning including emergency electricity imports and possible temporary demand reductions by large industrial consumers. Household interruptions were not expected under the alert.
Officials said losing the second reactor would materially tighten Romania’s evening electricity balance. The country is already importing electricity on a net daily basis while exporting substantial volumes to Hungary during periods of northern scarcity. The operational risk from cooling-water conditions is therefore linked to market outcomes and cross-border flows, including Hungary’s access to southeastern electricity .
The engineering programme is also expected to affect Romanian wholesale prices and regional cross-border electricity movements, alongside industrial demand management. These impacts are tied to whether cooling-water conditions at Cernavoda can be maintained for unit 2 .
