Romania Sinks Four Barges in Danube to Keep Second Nuclear Reactor Operating

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Romania moved on Thursday to sink four barges loaded with rock into the Danube River in an effort to redirect water towards the Cernavodă nuclear power plant.

Romania moved on Thursday to sink four barges loaded with rock into the Danube River in an effort to redirect water towards the Cernavodă nuclear power plant, as record-low river levels threaten to force its second reactor offline.

Prolonged heatwaves and below-average rainfall across the region have reduced the Danube to its lowest levels in recent days, prompting the shutdown of one reactor at the state-owned Cernavodă plant last week. When operating at full capacity, the facility generates around 20% of Romania's electricity and relies on river water to cool its reactors.

The barges were filled with rock blasted from the Danube's Bala Canal by the Romanian military earlier this week. Once submerged, they are intended to form an underwater barrier that will redirect more water into the river's main channel, helping to maintain sufficient cooling water for the Cernavodă nuclear power station, according to the Associated Press.

Speaking to local news channel Digi24, the plant’s director Romeo Urjan said Thursday the Danube’s water level had decreased about two centimeters (0.7 inches) from Wednesday to Thursday and that, without sinking the barges, the plant’s second reactor would likely have to be shut down in five to six days.

“If the installed barges bring surplus water ... instead of five to six days, we will talk about nine to 10 days of operation from today onward,” he said.

Authorities have implemented a series of emergency measures since the first reactor shut down, including dredging of the river.

The Danube’s water flow has fallen to its lowest in decades this week at 1,400 cubic meters per second in Romania, less than a third of what is typical for this time of year.

Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced a nationwide state of alert in the energy sector on 31 July. He appealed to citizens and local authorities again on Thursday to voluntarily limit electricity usage in peak evening hours, and said that the sinking of the barges would likely last till Friday.

Bolojan said after a government meeting that the works carried out so far aim to maintain a flow even if the Danube levels are forecast to be low, focusing on maintaining water flowing so that the second reactor can operate “at maximum capacity.”

He added that Romania could face potential energy shortfalls if the Cernavoda plant is taken completely offline, adding that it could depend on whether energy could be imported during peak evening hours from neighboring countries, many of which are dealing with their own shutdowns amid the drought.

In neighbouring Hungary, the Danube’s record-low levels have pushed the country’s only nuclear power plant to the brink of powering down entirely for the first time in decades. In Moldova, which relies heavily on imported electricity, including from Romania, the authorities have urged citizens to voluntarily reduce usage during peak hours.



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