Danube drought forces nuclear shutdowns in Romania and Hungary

Danube river drought nuclear power shutdown energy crisis Europe Cernavodă plant Paks nuclear plant

Extreme drought and record-low water levels in the Danube River have forced the complete shutdown of Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant. The facility, which provides approximately 20% of the country's electricity, had already disconnected its first reactor in July; the second reactor was shut down on Thursday due to insufficient cooling water. Romanian authorities have implemented emergency measures, including using explosives to clear rock obstructions and preparing to sink barges to redirect water flow. The government expects to cover the resulting energy deficit through wind power, coal, and imports.

In Hungary, the Paks Nuclear Power Plant is also facing critical conditions. Prime Minister Péter Magyar reported that water levels are approaching thresholds that would require shutting down one of the plant's two currently operating turbines. To mitigate this, the Hungarian government has initiated the construction of a riverbed sill between Paks and Dunaszentbenedek to raise water levels and is preparing to sink two 80-meter barges as a short-term intervention.

Across the region, the low river levels have also prompted water utilities in Hungary to request that consumers reduce tap water usage to preserve dwindling reserves.

Entities

Association of Smart Energy · Bogdan Ivan · Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant · Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant · Complexul Energetic Oltenia · Cristian Bușoi · Danube · Danube River · Dumitru Chisăliță · European Commission · Magyar Péter · Ministry of Energy

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Some industrial companies have reported electricity price increases of up to 40% from suppliers.
[● 3 SOURCES] Energy bills for Romanian citizens could increase by at least 15% to 20%.
[● 2 SOURCES] The Danube flow at the Baziaș section has dropped significantly below the multi-annual August average.
[● 4 SOURCES] The energy crisis and the shutdown of Cernavoda Reactor 2 could have been avoided through better planning.
[● 3 SOURCES] Authorities are considering temporary shutdowns of large industrial consumers to maintain grid balance during peak hours.
[● 12 SOURCES] Low water levels in the Danube may force a controlled shutdown of Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2. epitesti.ro · vocearomanului.ro
[● 7 SOURCES] Romania will rely on energy imports from regional and European markets to compensate for the production loss. vocearomanului.ro
[● 9 SOURCES] The shutdown of Unit 2 would result in a loss of approximately 700 MW of production capacity. vocearomanului.ro
[● 2 SOURCES] Energy bills for Romanian citizens could increase by 15% to 20% due to the energy crisis.
[● 14 SOURCES] Nuclearelectrica may perform a controlled shutdown of Cernavoda Unit 2 on August 13, 2026. epitesti.ro · igj.ro · kanald2.ro · vocearomanului.ro · breaking.bg
[● 6 SOURCES] The Romanian Ministry of Energy is bringing the Rovinari IV coal group out of reserve to compensate for energy losses. igj.ro · vocearomanului.ro
[● 3 SOURCES] Authorities are considering temporary shutdowns of large industrial consumers as a last resort to maintain grid balance.