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 ali

These actions are a sobering glimpse into the future and one that suddenly feels far less unreal

According to Péter Magyar, the water level has already climbed several centimetres above the critical threshold.

Three of four units of Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant were not in operation and the fourth was operating at about 50%, as of Wednesday morning.

With the Danube River at a historical low in some parts of Serbia, fuel imports arriving by river are at risk and energy production is being reduced.

Romanian naval forces blew up part of the drought-hit Danube river.

Water levels in the River Danube, which flows through ten countries from Germany to the Black Sea, have dropped to just 23 centimetres in Budapest as severe drought grips central Europe.

Romania's military detonated part of the Danube riverbed to redirect water towards the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant.

Explosives used to move a large rock and let more water flow to cool nuclear power plant More must be done ⁠to strengthen the European Union’s borders at critical points, ⁠European Commission president ⁠Ursula ​von der Leyen told Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez ⁠in a letter. In the carefully-calibrated letter, fir

The river has hit a record low in places amid prolonged drought

Romania blasts rocks to reroute cooling Danube water to nuclear reactor  Reuters

BUDAPEST/BUCHAREST, Aug 3 - Romania blew up a rock outcrop on Monday to help redirect vital cooling water from the drought-hit Danube river to its sole working nuclear reactor, an unprecedented measure underlining the scale of an energy crunch across the region.

Hungary's prime minister has warned the country is facing the "most critical five days ahead" with its sole nuclear power plant expected to be shut down this week due to record-low water levels of the River Danube.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said the country faces a critical five days as ‌its ‌sole nuclear power plant is halted for the first time in over four decades.

EUROPE-WEATHER-HUNGARY:Hungary PM flags 'critical' days ahead with looming nuclear shutdown

Romania scrambles F-16s as Russian drone crosses Ukraine's Danube River border  The Kyiv Independent

Hungary's sole nuclear facility has been offline due to unprecedentedly low levels of the Danube River. This shutdown exacerbates power shortages amid a fierce summer heatwave, prompting the government to urge both households and businesses to conserve energy. Consequently, Hungary must depend on costly electricity imp