Shafaqna English- Nuclearelectrica, the state‑owned company that operates Romania’s nuclear power facilities, announced on Tuesday(11 Aug 2026) that it may be forced to idle its sole remaining operational reactor on August 13.
The reason for this potential shutdown is the persistently declining water level of the Danube River, which supplies the cooling water essential for the plant’s safe operation. This comes even though authorities have been making efforts to redirect water from alternative sources to keep the reactor running.
This is not the first time that low water levels have disrupted operations at the Cernavoda facility. In late July, the company was already compelled to take one of its two reactors offline due to historically low river levels.
Together, these two reactors, both situated on the banks of the Danube at Cernavoda, are responsible for generating approximately one‑fifth of Romania’s total electricity supply. The earlier shutdown and the potential closure of the second unit highlight the growing vulnerability of the country’s energy infrastructure to climate‑induced water shortages.