Romania blasts rock to divert water from drought-hit Danube to nuclear reactor

In brief

Romanian naval forces used 180 kilograms of explosives to destroy a large rock obstructing the drought-hit Danube, allowing more water to be diverted towards the cooling channel of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant. One reactor at Romania’s only nuclear station has already been shut down because of record-low river levels, prompting a nationwide state of emergency for August. Authorities plan to construct a temporary dam following the controlled explosion to maintain cooling water for the remaining reactor, with officials arguing that even a few additional days of operation would justify the intervention.

The same drought has sharply reduced output at Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant, which normally supplies almost half of the country’s electricity but is operating at less than half capacity and may face a complete shutdown lasting several weeks. Both Hungary and Romania are relying more heavily on expensive electricity imports while heatwave conditions increase demand. Hungary has called for voluntary consumption cuts, and major companies have reduced their power use, while Serbia’s principal hydroelectric plant has fallen to only 20% of capacity. With little rainfall forecast, the crisis illustrates how extreme heat and falling river levels are threatening power generation, transport and water supplies across the Danube region.

Source: The Guardian

‍