Nuclear power plants need cooling water
Rocks are being blasted here to divert the Danube
To prevent a situation like the one in Hungary—where the country’s only nuclear power plant had to be shut down due to the ongoing drought and a shortage of cooling water—the Romanian government is now attempting to divert the Danube. To this end, the country’s army was deployed and blasted a rock formation on a branch of the Danube (see video above).
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen Operators of the Cernavoda power plant (see map below) have already had to shut down Unit 1 due to the low water level in the Danube. According to reports, Unit 2 can also only continue operating for another four to five days. However, to keep it connected to the grid, the government in Bucharest has resorted to unusual measures. It ordered the navy to divert the Bala branch. On Sunday, the first attempt to blast the Parjoaia rock failed.
On Monday, the experiment continued. The explosive charges set by Navy combat divers were increased slightly with each subsequent attempt. Apparently, they succeeded in blasting the rock in such a way that the flow rate toward the power plant was increased.
To support the effort, several barges loaded with about 500 metric tons of rock were sunk so that the Danube’s water could be diverted in a controlled manner. Dredging work was also necessary. A total of 100 army personnel were involved in the experiment. Defense Minister Radu Miruta described the blast as a success. It is hoped that this will provide the nuclear power plant with sufficient water.
Ukraine Helps with Electricity Supplies
The Cernavoda nuclear power plant covers just under 20 percent of electricity consumption. According to reports, compensatory deliveries are already underway via Ukraine. A national state of emergency is in effect for the entire month of August. The fact that Ukraine is able to export electricity at all is due to a temporary improvement in its power supply since the spring of 2026.
Since March, it has been exporting electricity again—albeit on a limited scale—to Hungary and Romania. However, exports only take place when there is a surplus in Ukraine itself and there are no war-related outages.
The extremely low water levels on the Danube are also having a massive impact in Serbia and Austria—especially on electricity generation and the economy. In these countries, the river is reachinghistoric lows in some places, and many river cruises are restricted or impossible. There are also problems with ferry service and freight transport.
In Serbia, river cruises have effectively been suspended, and cargo ships can now carry only about a quarter of their loading capacity. The Danube power plants Djerdap 1 and Djerdap 2 are producing about a third less electricity; however, according to official reports, the power supply is secure.
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