Romania Shuts Its Only Nuclear Plant

Romania has been forced to shut down its only nuclear power plant after the Danube River — which provides water to cool the reactors — fell to a record low because of severe drought.

The Cernavodă plant, which normally produces about one-fifth (20%) of Romania's electricity, stopped working completely on Thursday, August 13, 2026. The plant has two reactors. The first one was already shut down in late July. Now the second reactor has also been closed.

Why Did This Happen?

Europe is facing a severe drought with record heatwaves and very little rain. The Danube River — Europe's second-longest river — has reached its lowest July water levels in 34 years. Nearly two-thirds of the river recorded historically low flow rates.

The nuclear plant needs river water to cool its reactors. With water levels so low, the plant could no longer operate safely.

Desperate Efforts Failed

Romania tried hard to prevent the shutdown. The government spent more than €2 million ($2.3 million) on emergency measures. These included:

· Blowing up a rock in the river

· Sinking four barges filled with rocks to try to direct more water toward the plant

But these efforts raised water levels by only a few centimetres — not enough to keep the plant running.

Impact on Power Supply

The shutdown creates serious problems for electricity supply. The plant's director, Romeo Urjan, said the plant is not expected to restart for at least 10 days.

To make up for the lost power, Romania is:

· Using more wind power

· Importing electricity from other countries

· Asking people and businesses to use less electricity

Carmakers Dacia and Ford have already paused production in Romania until August 19 to help save power.

Neighbouring Moldova Affected

The shutdown also affects Moldova, Romania's eastern neighbour. Moldova relies on Romania for up to 60% of its electricity needs. With Romanian power now unavailable, Moldova may face power outages or have to buy more expensive electricity from other countries.

Other Countries Also Affected

The drought is hitting nuclear power across Europe:

· Hungary is building a dam in the Danube to keep its only nuclear plant running.

· France has 13 of its 57 nuclear reactors affected by drought and extreme heat.

A Warning About Climate Change

Scientists say the drought has been made worse by human-caused climate change. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at about twice the global average rate. Experts warn that these extreme weather events will likely become more common in the future.