Romanian authorities to sink rock-filled barges in Danube to increase flow to nuclear plant

06 August 2026 Romanian authorities resumed operations for the sinking of four rock-filled barges to increase the flow of the Danube toward the Cernavodă Power Plant on Thursday, August 6. Scheduled for a day earlier, the sinking was postponed because of strong currents. After they were filled, the four barges were aligned in a convoy and transported to the entrance of the Bala branch. Experts say the sinking of the barges is necessary to create an obstacle under the surface of the Danube so that more water flows toward the Old Danube branch and, ultimately, reaches the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant to cool the reactors. “There were problems related to the currents; the barges needed to be prepared, the aeration chambers of the barges had to be emptied, because it had been very hot and som