Romania may shut down Cernavoda’s remaining nuclear reactor amid low Danube levels

Romania's nuclear power operator Nuclearelectrica announced Tuesday that Unit 2, the remaining operating reactor at the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, could be shut down amid critically low levels of the Danube, broadcaster Digi24 reported.

Nuclearelectrica said Unit 2 could be shut down in a controlled manner on the morning of Aug. 13 due to the continued decline in the Danube's water level.

Unit 1 of the Cernavoda plant was shut down in a controlled manner on July 28 because of the exceptionally low Danube level caused by severe drought and has remained offline.

The latest announcement came shortly after Sorin Rindasu, deputy director-general of the Romanian Waters National Water Administration, told Digi24 that the critical level of minus 230 centimeters (minus 90.6 inches) had been reached at Cernavoda and that, based on available data, the shutdown of Unit 2 could no longer be avoided.

"I have never encountered such values, such low flows," Rindasu said.

Warning that the situation could deteriorate further, Rindasu said Unit 2 could remain shut down for at least two weeks.

"At the moment, all the data is leading us towards an extremely difficult period in terms of the precipitation deficit and the levels that will be recorded in the coming period," he added.