--- title: "Emergency shutdown of the Cernavodă NPP: how the Danube's low water levels are reshaping Romania's energy map" description: "🇷🇴 The Cernavodă NPP has shut down its second unit due to the Danube's low water levels. Romania is losing 680 MW and switching to energy imports from Ukraine. Authorities promise that household power will not be cut off, but industry may be affected. The situation mirrors the problems Hungary faced with the Paks NPP." date: 2026-08-13T09:28:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/emergency-shutdown-cernavoda-npp-danube-low-water-romania-energy tags: [romania, nuclear-energy, chernavode-npp, danube-river, energy-crisis, climate-change] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Emergency shutdown of the Cernavodă NPP: how the Danube's low water levels are reshaping Romania's energy map ![Cernavoda NPP against the backdrop of the shallow Danube, people walking on sandy shoals](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/13/aes-chernavode-ostanovka-blok-iz-za-obmeleniya-dunaya/aes-chernavode-ostanovka-blok-iz-za-obmeleniya-dunaya-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The Cernavodă NPP has shut down its second unit due to a critical drop in the Danube's water level. - Romania is compensating for a 680 MW deficit by importing electricity from Ukraine. - Authorities guarantee no outages for residential consumers; restrictions will affect industry. - The river's low water levels are also affecting neighboring Hungary, where the NPP was also shut down. On August 13, 2026, Romania faced a serious challenge in its energy sector. The nuclear power plant in Cernavodă, a key electricity supplier for the country, was forced to shut down its second unit. The cause was a critical shortage of water in the Danube River, which is used to cool the reactors. This event is a continuation of a regional problem that neighboring countries have also faced this season. ### Technical details of the shutdown and safety measures The procedure for the controlled shutdown of Unit 2 began in the morning at 07:00 local time. By 11:00, the plant had completely ceased supplying electricity to the national grid, losing about 680 megawatts of generating capacity. The NPP operator, Nuclearelectrica, confirmed that the decision was made due to a prolonged and significant drop in the Danube's water level, making safe reactor cooling impossible. The company emphasized that the shutdown was carried out in strict accordance with all international safety standards. "Maintaining both units in a safe shutdown mode does not affect nuclear safety parameters, in particular for personnel, the environment, and the population," the operator's press service stated. This means the situation is under full control and poses no threat to the region's residents. ### Energy deficit and power imports The loss of capacity at the Cernavodă NPP created a significant gap in Romania's energy balance. To compensate for the deficit, the country was forced to activate electricity import mechanisms. Nuclearelectrica began purchasing electricity from Ukraine with the assistance of the Moldovan supplier Energocom. This transit route became critical for stabilizing the grid amid extreme heat and reduced generation. The exact timeline for resuming NPP operations is currently unknown. Hydrologists' forecasts indicate a further drop in the river's water level in the coming days, making any prediction about a restart premature. Even after water levels allow operations to resume, it will take another one to two days for the safe startup procedure and integration of the unit into the power system. ### Government stance: residential consumers protected Despite the seriousness of the situation, Romanian authorities are trying to reassure the population. State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Cristian Buşoi stated that ordinary citizens and social institutions will not experience supply problems. "In the worst-case scenario, restrictions will be introduced only for large industrial enterprises. Residential consumers, hospitals, schools, pharmacies, and government institutions will operate as usual — there is no danger," the official emphasized. Thus, the load will be redistributed towards the industrial sector to maintain stability for critical infrastructure and the population. ### Regional context: a problem not just for Romania The issues with low Danube levels are transboundary. In neighboring Hungary, located upstream, the Paks NPP was also previously shut down due to record low water levels in the river. This points to a systemic climate phenomenon affecting hydropower and thermal generation in the Danube basin. The situation demonstrates the vulnerability of the region's energy infrastructure to climate change and drought. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Romania left without nuclear energy due to Danube low water levels: country switched to imports](https://delo.ua/ru/news/rumyniya-ostalas-bez-atomnoi-energii-iz-za-obmeleniya-dunaya-strana-peresla-na-import-470700/) - Подтверждает факт остановки АЭС, переход на импорт и роль Energocom. - [Hungary and Romania reduced NPP output due to low water levels in the Danube](https://energyland.info/analitic-show-285521) - Подтверждает региональный характер проблемы и ситуацию с АЭС в Венгрии. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why was the Cernavodă NPP shut down? **A:** The cause was a critical drop in the water level of the Danube River, which prevents safe cooling of the reactors. ### Q: Will there be power outages in Romania? **A:** Authorities promise that residential consumers and social institutions will not be affected. Restrictions may be introduced only for large industrial enterprises. ### Q: When will the plant resume operations? **A:** Exact dates are unknown, as hydrologists forecast a further drop in water levels. Restarting will take an additional 1-2 days after the level is restored.