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Bulgaria's Kozloduy Units 5 and 6 VVER-1000 Continue Stable Power Generation

Bulgaria's Ministry of Energy confirmed on August 4 that Units 5 and 6 (both VVER-1000) at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant remain stably connected to the grid despite record-low Danube River water levels and an ongoing heatwave. Professional assessments indicate that even if the river level continues to decline at the current rate, no power reduction will be required for the next three weeks. Bulgarian authorities have confirmed that they maintain continuous contact with relevant institutions in Serbia and Romania to coordinate and monitor the situation on the Danube waterway. The stable operation of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant comes at a time when neighboring operators along the Danube have been forced to reduce output or cease operations. Due to the sharp drop in water levels and rising river water temperatures, Hungary has had to significantly reduce power output and shut down the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, which supplies more than 40% of the country's electricity.

2026-08-06

Romania postpones sinking barges to guide water flow, safeguarding cooling water supply for Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant

Romania has recently taken emergency measures to address the impact of the persistently declining Danube River water level on the water supply to its nuclear power plant. On August 5 local time, Romanian authorities stated that four barges would be sunk in the Danube River to guide water flow into the water intake channel related to the cooling water supply of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant. Cernavodă is Romania's only nuclear power plant. Affected by drought and the low water level of the Danube, the plant's water intake conditions are under pressure. On August 3, the Romanian military used approximately 180 kilograms of explosives to blast and clear a rock formation in the Danube riverbed, aiming to improve the water flow channel, ensure the cooling water source for units in operation, and prevent the nuclear units from being forced to shut down due to insufficient water supply...

2026-08-06

Low Danube Water Levels Impact Nuclear Power Plant Operations in Romania and Hungary

On August 4, amid persistently low Danube River water levels, Romania was rushing to build temporary dikes to divert more river water toward the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant to secure cooling water for its remaining operational reactor. Meanwhile, Hungary stated that the only still-operating turbine unit at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant was running in a safe condition. Both Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant and Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant rely on Danube River water for cooling. Recently, the Danube's water level dropped to historic lows, leading to a significant decline in nuclear power output in both countries. Budapest and Bucharest have had to increase electricity imports and call on residents and businesses to reduce consumption to ease grid pressure...

2026-08-05

Romania purchases nuclear electricity from Ukraine via Moldova to fill gap left by Cernavoda Unit 1 outage

Romanian state-owned nuclear power company Nuclearelectrica announced on August 3 that it purchased electricity from Ukraine, using Moldova's state-owned power supplier Energocom as an intermediary. Although the specific transaction amount is confidential, the price will be determined at market rates. This purchase is intended to compensate for the power gap caused by the shutdown of Unit 1 at the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, thereby mitigating the impact on Romania's energy market. According to the statement, the purchase price will reference official prices on regional spot exchanges, particularly during peak demand hours from 7 PM to 10 PM. Given the widespread heatwave and tight electricity demand currently affecting Romania and Europe, the market...

2026-08-04

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant can only operate for about 5 more days due to the continuously declining water level of the Danube River

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant is expected to operate for only about five days due to the declining water level of the Danube River. Romeo Urjan, the plant's director, stated that if the Danube's water level continues to drop at a rate of 2 to 3 centimeters per day, Unit 2 will soon cease operation. Unit 1 has already been shut down due to insufficient water flow. Urjan emphasized that despite this, Unit 2 continues to operate within normal parameters, and nuclear safety is not under any threat. To alleviate the situation, relevant authorities are preparing to deploy four barges to divert more water to the plant, hoping to raise the water level by 7 to 8 centimeters, thereby extending the plant's operating time. Related...

2026-08-04

Danube Water Levels Continue to Drop, Putting Pressure on Romania's Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant Operations

Romanian official Sorin Lindasu said on August 1 that if the Danube River water level continues to decline, the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant in Constanța County, southeastern Romania, may only be able to continue operating for 4 to 5 days. To ensure the water level required for continuous plant operation, relevant parties have begun implementing hydraulic engineering works on the Danube. Lindasu stated that the Danube water level is currently dropping at a rate of about 2 to 3 centimeters per day. A flow rate of 1,590 cubic meters per second has been recorded at the Baziaș inlet where the Danube enters Romanian territory, and this figure is expected to continue declining, potentially falling to about 1,450 cubic meters per second by August 7. Under these conditions, Cernavodă...

2026-08-03

Romanian Army Deploys on the Danube to Protect Nuclear Power Plant Operations

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense announced that the Romanian Army has been mobilized to protect the operation of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant and conduct hydrographic measurements on the Danube River. The Ministry stated that this measure was taken in response to the current critical situation on the Danube to ensure the safe operation of the nuclear power plant. The military action aims to obtain the technical data required for the construction of a mobile weir that will redirect a portion of the Danube's flow into the Old Danube. Naval forces are conducting measurements at kilometers 345 to 346 of the Danube, in the area where the Bala branch converges, to determine the parameters needed for implementing the weir. Military experts are analyzing the riverbed and water depth, and transmitting the collected data to the relevant administrative authorities. The Ministry emphasized that these measures...

2026-08-02

Romania Declares National State of Emergency for August Amid Decline in Power Generation

Romania's Acting Prime Minister and Energy Minister Ilie Bolojan announced on July 31 after a cabinet meeting that Romania would enter a national state of emergency in August due to a decline in power generation caused by drought. Bolojan stated that the drought has reduced water levels in rivers, with a notable decrease in the flow of the Danube River. The flow has dropped from over 4,000 cubic meters per second to 1,600 cubic meters per second. He said that as a result, the water level in the intake basin of the Cernavodă NPP has fallen, and Unit 1 of the plant had to be shut down recently. He also noted that Unit 2 of the Cernavodă NPP faces a high risk of shutdown. Should Unit 2 go offline, Romania's total...

2026-08-01

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant not to shut down temporarily due to low Danube water level

Romania's National Nuclear Power Company (Nuclearelectrica) stated on July 30 that Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant will continue to operate connected to the grid. Previously, the company had warned that the unit, located in Constanța County in southeastern Romania, might need to shut down due to the low water level of the Danube River. The company said that based on an operational analysis completed the previous night, experts believe the currently obtained relevant parameters allow Unit 2 to continue operating under safe conditions. Therefore, the unit will remain connected to Romania's national power system. Nuclearelectrica also stated that technical personnel will continuously monitor and analyze the plant's operating parameters. Given the subsequent hydrological forecasts for the Danube water level...

2026-07-31

Danube River water levels continue to drop, Romania's only nuclear power plant to shut down completely

Affected by prolonged drought and high temperatures, the water level of the Danube River has been continuously declining, impacting the operation of multiple nuclear power plants along its banks. Romanian authorities have confirmed that both units of the country's only nuclear power plant, the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, will be completely shut down to prevent damage to the cooling system. Romania's Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has called on residents and large industrial users to voluntarily reduce electricity consumption, especially by controlling the load between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. He stated that Romania often faces electricity shortage pressure during this period. Bolojan noted that the Danube River flow rate during the same period in previous years was typically 3,900 to 4,500 cubic meters per second, but it has now dropped to 1,600 cubic meters per second, and is expected to continue decreasing in the coming days.

2026-07-30