Romania Sinks Barges in Danube to Keep Nuclear Reactor Running

BUCHAREST, Romania — Romania raced Thursday to sink four barges loaded with rock into the Danube River, an emergency effort to redirect water downstream toward the Cernavoda nuclear power plant and delay the likely shutdown of its second reactor.

Extreme heat and low rainfall across the region have pushed the Danube to record lows over the past week, forcing one reactor at the state-owned plant offline last week. Cernavoda accounts for about 20% of Romania's electricity generation when fully operational and draws river water to cool its reactors.

The rock aboard the barges was blasted from the river this week by Romania's military using explosives near the Danube's Bala Canal. Once submerged, the barges are meant to form an underwater barrier that pushes water into the river's main channel and toward the plant.

Plant director Romeo Urjan told the local news channel Digi24 on Thursday that the Danube's level had fallen about two centimeters (0.7 inches) from Wednesday to Thursday, and that without the barges the second reactor would likely have to be shut down within 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. The effect could take about a day to reach Cernavoda, which lies roughly 60 kilometers (37 miles) downstream, he added.

The Danube's flow in Romania has fallen to 1,400 cubic meters per second, its lowest in decades and less than a third of what is typical for this time of year. Authorities have taken a series of emergency measures since the first reactor shut down, including dredging.

Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan declared a nationwide state of alert in the energy sector on July 31. He again urged citizens and local authorities Thursday to voluntarily limit electricity use during peak evening hours, and said the sinking of the barges would likely continue into Friday. The works aim to keep water flowing so the second reactor can run "at maximum capacity," he said after a government meeting.

Bolojan warned that Romania could face energy shortfalls if Cernavoda goes fully offline, depending on whether power can be imported in the evening from neighboring countries — many of which face their own shutdowns amid the drought.

In Hungary, record-low Danube levels have pushed the country's only nuclear plant close to powering down entirely for the first time in decades. In Moldova, which relies heavily on imported electricity, including from Romania, authorities have asked citizens to cut usage at peak hours.