Kathmandu— Romania has suspended operations at its sole nuclear power plant, the Cernavoda facility, because of historically low water levels in the Danube River, which is crucial for cooling the reactors. The national energy company, Nuclearelectrica, began a controlled shutdown of the second reactor on Thursday, following the stoppage of the first reactor last month, as a severe drought grips much of Europe and reduces river flow to its lowest point in over three decades. Romania attempted to prevent a full shutdown by investing over 2 million euros into diverting water flow, but these efforts proved insufficient.

Drought Conditions Impacting Danube River

A severe drought across large parts of Europe has caused the Danube River’s flow rate to reach record lows, with nearly two-thirds of the river experiencing its lowest levels in over 30 years according to analysis from the European climate change observatory Copernicus. These conditions directly impact nuclear power plants like Cernavoda and Paks that rely on the river for cooling water.

Cernavoda Plant Shutdown & Mitigation Efforts

The Cernavoda plant, which typically generates approximately 20% of Romania’s electricity, initially shut down one reactor last month. Nuclearelectrica then initiated a controlled shutdown of its second reactor on Thursday. Director Romeo Urjan indicated he does not anticipate the plant resuming operations for at least ten days. Romania budgeted over 2 million euros in an attempt to maintain cooling capabilities, including efforts to remove obstructions and raise water levels using barges filled with rocks.

Regional Impact & Alternative Energy Sources

Neighboring Hungary is also facing challenges with its Paks nuclear plant, which relies on the Danube for cooling. While a complete shutdown has been avoided so far, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced plans to construct a submerged wall and deploy barges to maintain water levels. The Romanian Ministry of Energy anticipates that alternative power sources – including wind energy and electricity imports – will ensure sufficient supply, but it also urged citizens to practice responsible consumption and warned of potential restrictions for large industrial consumers during peak hours.

The Cernavoda plant remains shut down with no immediate restart date in sight, while Hungary continues efforts to prevent a complete shutdown of its own nuclear facility as the Danube River reaches historic low levels.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.