Romania nuclear plant shuts as danube falls

August 14, 2026

Romania has taken its only nuclear power station offline after exceptionally low water levels in the Danube River made it increasingly difficult to maintain the cooling operations needed to run the facility safely.

The shutdown of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant comes as prolonged heat and drought conditions affect large parts of Europe, pushing major rivers to unusually low levels and putting additional pressure on electricity generation, agriculture and transportation.

Cernavodă's two reactors normally supply around 20% of Romania's electricity. With both units now offline, the country is expected to rely more heavily on other power sources and electricity imports until conditions improve.

Low Danube levels force Cernavodă offline

The Cernavodă plant depends on water from the Danube for its cooling systems. However, persistent hot and dry weather has caused river levels to fall dramatically.

Authorities attempted to maintain sufficient water flow toward the nuclear facility by sinking barges filled with rocks in parts of the river. Despite those efforts, conditions deteriorated enough to require the shutdown of the remaining operating reactor.

The plant's second 706-megawatt unit was disconnected from Romania's electricity grid shortly before midday on Thursday. The first reactor had already been taken offline in July.

Plant director Romeo Urjan indicated that operators did not expect the facility to restart within the following 10 days.

The situation is highly unusual for Cernavodă. Before the current disruption, the nuclear station had reportedly experienced only one comparable shutdown, in 2003.

Romania faces pressure on electricity supplies

The loss of nuclear generation creates a significant challenge for Romania's power system.

Solar and wind farms can help compensate for some of the missing electricity during sunny and windy daytime periods. However, additional coal- and gas-fired generation, together with electricity imports, may be required during evenings when renewable output declines.

Hydropower would normally provide another important source of electricity. Romania has substantial hydroelectric capacity, but drought and falling river levels have also reduced production from hydroelectric facilities.

The combination of lower nuclear and hydropower output illustrates how prolonged drought can simultaneously affect several parts of a country's electricity system.

Hungary's paks nuclear plant also at risk

Concerns are also growing downstream in neighbouring Hungary, where the Paks Nuclear Power Plant relies on the Danube for cooling.

Unlike Romania, Hungary has so far managed to keep its nuclear facility operating. However, extremely low river levels have raised concerns about whether that can continue if dry conditions persist.

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar previously warned that Paks, which operates four nuclear reactors, could potentially face its first complete shutdown.

Officials have reported that Danube levels have fallen so far in some areas that water-intake infrastructure is struggling to access sufficient water.

Across several European countries, parts of the Danube have reportedly reached their lowest levels in around three decades.

Climate change intensifies Europe's heat and drought

The nuclear power disruption is part of a broader climate challenge affecting Europe.

Europe is warming significantly faster than the global average, with rising temperatures increasing the likelihood and intensity of extreme heatwaves. Higher temperatures also accelerate evaporation, worsen drought conditions and increase pressure on rivers, reservoirs and other freshwater resources.

Low water levels are not limited to the Danube. The Rhine, one of Europe's most important commercial waterways, is also experiencing reduced water levels, restricting shipping and creating additional challenges for businesses that depend on river transport.

Extreme heat is simultaneously increasing wildfire risks and damaging agricultural production across the continent.

Climate damage threatens european economies

The economic consequences of extreme weather are becoming increasingly significant.

In Italy, agricultural association Coldiretti has estimated that damage linked to drought, hailstorms and wildfires could exceed €3 billion.

France is also facing potentially substantial losses. Environment Minister Monique Barbut cited national statistics suggesting that recent heatwaves could generate between €10 billion and €15 billion in direct and indirect economic costs.

Dutch bank Triodos has warned that extreme temperatures and their wider consequences could erase a considerable share of the European Union's expected economic growth.

That represents a major concern for an economy already projected to expand relatively slowly, with European institutions forecasting growth of around 1% for the region.

Wildfires and extreme heat spread across Europe

Southern Europe continues to face severe wildfire conditions.

In Greece, more than 200 people, many of them tourists, were evacuated from the resorts of Siviri and Fourka on the Halkidiki peninsula as wildfires threatened populated areas.

France has placed dozens of departments under heatwave alerts, with temperatures in some locations expected to climb above 40°C. The country has already experienced extensive wildfire damage during the current fire season.

Spain has also been dealing with the aftermath of deadly wildfires while temperatures in central parts of the country have approached the upper 30s Celsius.

Northern Europe has not escaped the extreme conditions either.

The UK recorded its hottest day of the year so far, with a provisional temperature of 38.1°C measured at Kew Gardens in London. Fires were also reported across parts of the West Midlands, damaging homes and leaving several people injured.

Although rainfall is forecast for parts of the UK, short periods of rain are unlikely to immediately reverse widespread drought conditions.

Europe's energy systems face a growing climate challenge

The shutdown of Romania's Cernavodă nuclear plant demonstrates that extreme heat and drought can affect energy sources that are often considered reliable regardless of weather conditions.

Nuclear power plants require dependable access to cooling water, while hydropower depends directly on adequate river and reservoir levels. At the same time, extreme heat can increase electricity demand as households and businesses use more air conditioning.

As climate change increases the frequency and severity of heatwaves and droughts, European governments and energy companies may need to strengthen the climate resilience of power infrastructure.

Romania's nuclear shutdown highlights a wider challenge facing Europe: building a low-carbon electricity system that can remain reliable even as increasingly extreme weather puts pressure on water supplies, power generation and electricity networks.