Romania’s Cernavoda nuclear plant will keep Unit 2 connected to the grid after a technical assessment concluded that the reactor could continue operating safely despite exceptionally low Danube levels.
Nuclearelectrica had previously indicated that Unit 2 might be shut down after Unit 1 was disconnected under the same drought conditions. The revised decision preserves a substantial block of low-carbon generation at a time when Hungary is facing its own nuclear constraints and regional electricity demand remains high.
Both Cernavoda units are under enhanced monitoring. Operating parameters, cooling-water conditions and nuclear-safety margins are being assessed continuously under procedures designed for severe drought. Unit 2 will remain online while those criteria are satisfied, but it could be disconnected at short notice if the Danube falls further.
The decision reduces the immediate pressure on Romania’s power balance. Losing both units would remove a major source of stable generation and force the system to rely more heavily on gas-fired plants, renewable output, battery storage and imports.
Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan had already called on households and large industrial consumers to reduce electricity use during the evening peak in preparation for the possible loss of both reactors. The appeal reflected the difficulty of replacing nuclear output during the hours when solar generation declines and regional import availability is limited.
Romania’s system has several alternative supply sources, including hydro, gas, coal, wind and rapidly expanding solar capacity. Their combined availability is nevertheless weather-dependent, while imported electricity may become more expensive when Hungary is simultaneously seeking additional volumes.
Keeping Unit 2 online therefore supports not only Romania but the broader SEE market. Romanian exports towards Hungary have increased sharply as reduced generation at Paks expands the Hungarian deficit. At the same time, Romania has been importing larger volumes from Bulgaria, creating a northbound regional supply chain.
The operational decision remains conditional rather than permanent. Cernavoda’s safety procedures take precedence over market requirements, and a further deterioration in Danube conditions would trigger a controlled shutdown regardless of the effect on prices.
The simultaneous pressure on Paks and Cernavoda demonstrates the regional significance of hydrological risk for nuclear generation. Low river levels are no longer solely a hydroelectricity issue; they can constrain some of the most important baseload assets in central and south-eastern Europe.
