en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 11, Romania's National Nuclear Power Company disclosed that, due to the continued decline in the Danube River water level, Unit 2 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant may undergo a controlled shutdown on the morning of August 13. This unit is currently the only nuclear reactor still in operation at the plant, and the company will make a decision based on hydrological forecasts, water level changes, and unit operating parameters.
The Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant has two nuclear units, each with an installed capacity of 706 megawatts, together accounting for approximately one-fifth of Romania's electricity production. Unit 1 was placed under controlled shutdown on the morning of July 28 due to historically low water levels in the Danube River and is currently maintained in a safe shutdown state.
On July 29, Romania's National Nuclear Power Company announced that Unit 2 might be shut down that evening or the following morning. The plant subsequently analyzed the unit's operating parameters and equipment conditions, confirming that the unit still met safe operating conditions, and therefore continued to remain connected to the national power system. On August 4, the company confirmed that Unit 2 was still operating at rated power, but hydrological forecasts indicated that the Danube River water level might continue to decline.
To maintain the cooling water supply for the nuclear power plant, Romania has taken measures such as blasting rock obstacles in the riverbed, dredging the river channel, and sinking barges loaded with rocks to divert more river water toward the plant's water intake area. These efforts temporarily raised the water level near the plant by approximately 4 centimeters, but the river's water flow has since faced another decline.
On August 11, the flow of the Danube River at Romania's entry point dropped to 1,370 cubic meters per second, setting a new historical low. The Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant relies on the Danube for cooling water, and the units can only continue operating if water intake and operating parameters meet nuclear safety standards.
Romania has declared a state of energy emergency for the entire month of August and has asked businesses and residents to voluntarily reduce electricity consumption during evening peak hours. The government has also formulated a phased power curtailment plan for industrial users. If Unit 2 is confirmed for shutdown, Romania's National Nuclear Power Company will issue a separate notice.
