Unit 2 of the Cernavodá Nuclear Power Plant could face a controlled shutdown on the morning of August 13, 2026, according to an official report sent by SN Nuclearelectrica SA to the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB).
Danube Water Levels Hit Critical Minus 230 Centimeter Threshold at Cernavodá
Water levels on the Danube near Cernavodá have dropped to a critical threshold of minus 230 centimeters, according to Sorin Rîndașu, deputy general manager of the National Administration “Apele Române,” speaking in an interview with Digi24. Rîndașu stated that levels fell by an additional six centimeters over a short period, with upstream inflows failing to offset the drop. Discharge from the Porțile de Fier II hydro plant stood at approximately 1,375 cubic meters per second, marking what Rîndașu characterized as a historic negative record for low flow rates.
Dredging Operations Underway at Cochirleni to Speed Up Future Restart
The Romanian Government approved funds from the reserve fund to fund urgent dredging operations at two critical points, Cochirleni and Caragheorghe-Turcescu in Constanța County. Dredging crews moved material over a seven-day period. However, according to Rîndașu, the timeline is too compressed to prevent the upcoming shutdown. Instead, the ongoing dredging aims to widen the access channel on the Old Danube branch from 30 to 60 meters and clear sandbanks near the Cernavodá Canal, allowing the plant to resume operations two to three days earlier once water levels recover.
Projected Two-Week Outage Linked to Dry Weather and Lack of Precipitation
The planned shutdown is expected to last for at least two weeks, based on Apele Române estimates. The minimum flow period at the entry to Romania is projected to persist for at least a week, with an additional week required for those low volumes to propagate downstream to Cernavodá. Compounding the issue, meteorological forecasts indicate no significant rainfall across the Danube basin, including Austria, for a five-day window. Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 liters per square meter anticipated in Romania will not significantly alter the river’s flow amid high temperatures.
Why is Unit 2 of the Cernavodá Nuclear Power Plant facing a shutdown?
The shutdown is driven by critically low water levels on the Danube River, which reached minus 230 centimeters at Cernavodá, dipping below the operating safety parameters managed by Nuclearelectrica.
Can current dredging operations stop the shutdown?
No. According to Apele Române officials, the timeline is too short to prevent the shutdown, but the dredging will help the plant restart two to three days sooner once water levels increase.
How long is the potential shutdown expected to last?
Apele Române estimates that the plant could remain offline for at least two weeks, accounting for the duration of low inflow at the country’s border and propagation time down to Cernavodá.
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