Romania has shut down its only nuclear power plant, Cernavodă, due to extremely low water levels in the Danube River caused by prolonged hot weather. The shutdown is expected to last at least 10 days, and will be covered by imports of traditional coal- and gas-powered electricity during evenings when solar and wind power are less available. Neighboring Hungary has also struggled with low river levels, but its sole nuclear plant in Paks remains operational for now. This is part of a broader Europe-wide crisis caused by record-breaking heatwaves, which have drained water levels to their lowest in 30 years in several countries, including the Danube and Rhine rivers.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Romania's only nuclear power plant, Cernavodă, has been shut down due to extremely low water levels in the Danube River, caused by prolonged hot weather. The plant, which produces about 20% of Romania's electricity, was expected to remain closed for at least the next 10 days. Authorities had attempted to increase water flow to the plant by sinking barges into the river, but were unsuccessful. This is only the second time the plant has been shut down since its construction, with the previous shutdown occurring in 2003. Neighboring Hungary, which also relies on the Danube for cooling its own nuclear plant at Paks, was able to avoid a shutdown. The low water levels in the Danube have been described as the worst in 30 years for several European countries.
Written for “Danube River Water Levels” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
Romania has shut down its only nuclear power station because of extremely low water levels in the Danube river caused by prolonged hot weather affecting much of Europe.
asserted
Romania → publish → Europe
The Cernavodă plant, where two reactors produce about 20% of Romania's electricity, is not expected to be restarted within the next 10 days.
asserted
reactors → produce → days
Earlier this week, authorities tried to increase the water flow to the plant - which uses the Danube for cooling - by sinking barges loaded with rocks in the river.
asserted
which → try → river
Neighbouring Hungary has so far avoided a shutdown of its only nuclear plant in Paks, which also uses the Danube.
asserted
which → neighbour → Danube
The waters in Europe's second-longest river have fallen to the lowest levels for 30 years in several countries.
asserted
waters → fall → countries
The second of the two 706-megawatt reactors at Cernavodă was disconnected from the Romanian electricity grid just before midday on Thursday.
asserted
second → disconnect → Thursday
"We do not foresee a restart within the next 10 days," plant director Romeo Urjan told the AFP news agency.
asserted
Urjan → foresee → agency
The first reactor had already been shut down in July.
asserted
reactor → shut → July
Until now, Cernavodă had only been shut down once before in 2003.
asserted
Cernavodă → shut → 2003
The shortfall in power is usually covered by solar and wind during the hot, windy daytimes - but traditional coal- and gas-powered generation will have to be supplemented by imports during the evenings.
asserted
generation → cover → evenings
Romania also has huge hydropower capacity, although that has been heavily cut by the same low river levels that caused the nuclear shutdown.
asserted
that → have → shutdown
In Hungary, Prime Minister Péter Magyar warned last month that the Soviet-era Paks, which has four nuclear reactors, could be forced to shut down entirely for the first time.
uncertain
which → warn → time
Plant officials said that levels in the Danube were so low that the suction nozzles used to take in water could not reach it.
uncertain
nozzles → say → it
Climate change is driving up temperatures around the world - but particularly in Europe.
asserted
change → drive → Europe
It is the fasting warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service.
This is causing increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on Europe's waters and more intense wildfires.
uncertain
This → fast → waters
The Rhine - another of Europe's key waterway - is also suffering low water levels, which is severely limiting traffic.
asserted
which → suffer → traffic
The continent's agricultural sector has also taken a noticeable hit.
asserted
sector → take → hit
Italy's largest agricultural trade association, Coldiretti, said climate-related damage - such as hail, drought and wildfires could exceed €3bn (£2.6bn; $3.5bn).
uncertain
damage → say → 3bn
France's Environment Minister Monique Barbut warned that data from the country's national statistics agency suggested the recent heatwaves could rack up €10bn to €15bn in direct and indirect costs.
uncertain
heatwaves → warn → costs
The Dutch bank Triodos said the extreme heat and its consequences could wipe out much of the projected economic growth for the EU.
uncertain
heat → say → EU
The European Commission had forecast growth of 1.1%, while the IMF expected the euro area to grow by around 0.9%.
asserted
area → forecast → %
In Greece, more than 200 people - mostly tourists - were evacuated on Friday from the popular resorts of Siviri and Fourka in the northern Halkidiki peninsular because of a raging wildfire.
asserted
people → evacuate → wildfire
Meanwhile, as many as 80 departments across France are now on a heatwave alert, as temperatures are expected to exceed in some places 40C (104F) on Friday.
asserted
temperatures → expect → Friday
The country has already been devastated by fires in recent weeks, with the blazes causing more damage this year than at any time since World War Two.
asserted
blazes → devastate → War
Spain - which is also still recovering after recent deadly wildfires - on Thursday recorded temperatures as high as 37C in central areas.
asserted
which → recover → areas
The UK on Thursday saw its hottest day of the year so far, with the Met Office reporting a provisional recording of 38.1C in London's Kew Gardens.
asserted
Office → see → Gardens
Multiple fires were burning across the West Midlands, with several people reported injured and four homes destroyed.
asserted
homes → burn → Midlands
Rain is expected to arrive in more places of the UK over the weekend, but the BBC climate and science team says it will take more than showers to bring the UK's widespread drought to an end.
asserted
it → expect → end
