Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant to Operate for at Least 9 More Days

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant is expected to continue operating for at least 9 more days. Romania's Acting Minister of Defense and Transport, Radu·Miruță, stated that after blasting operations and the removal of underwater obstacles in the Danube River, the water level in the Cernavoda area rose by 4 centimeters over the past 24 hours. The previous day, the water level in the area had dropped by 3 centimeters.

Recently, due to persistent drought, the Danube River's water level has fallen to historic lows, putting pressure on the plant's water intake and reactor cooling. To increase water supply in the river section near the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, Romania last week implemented unconventional engineering measures, including blasting a rock formation in the Danube and sinking barges loaded with cargo to redirect local water flow, in order to maintain the water level required for the stable operation of the nuclear power plant.

Miruță stated that, according to current forecasts, these measures will allow Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant to operate for at least 9 more days.

Previously, due to a significant drop in power generation caused by drought and low Danube water levels, Romania had already declared a state of emergency in the energy sector in August. The low water level of the Danube has also affected the operation of energy facilities in neighboring countries.