Romania shuts down both nuclear power reactors as Danube levels plunge, PM urges energy savings

30 July 2026 Romania has shut down both reactors at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant after the Danube's water level fell to exceptionally low levels due to severe drought, taking offline a facility that normally supplies around one-fifth of the country's electricity. Interim prime minister Ilie Bolojan urged households and large industrial consumers to reduce electricity use during evening peak hours as authorities prepare to rely more heavily on gas-fired generation and imports. State-owned nuclear power producer Nuclearelectrica announced on Wednesday, July 29, that it would carry out a controlled shutdown of Unit 2 after Unit 1 was taken offline earlier this week for the same reason. “Similar to the shutdown of Unit 1, Unit 2 will be shut down in a controlled manner due to the extremel