Romania could temporarily be left without nuclear power generation. Nuclearelectrica announced on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, that Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant’s Unit 2 could be subject to a controlled shutdown on the morning of August 13. Unit 1 has already been offline since July 28 because of the Danube’s exceptionally low water level.
For more information on Cernavodă, see also Cernavodă nuclear power plant has shut down completely: Romania temporarily left without nuclear power, which provides additional details on the issue.
This scenario would remove a further approximately 700 MW of steady generation from Romania’s National Energy System and leave the country, at least temporarily, without the two nuclear reactors that normally provide around one-fifth of its electricity generation combined.
The situation is serious, but shutting down Reactor 2 would not automatically mean power outages for households. Romania can turn to imports, other power plants and system reserves, while curbing consumption by major industrial customers is one of the last-resort measures authorities have prepared.
Nuclearelectrica: Reactor 2 could be shut down on August 13
In an official report sent to the Bucharest Stock Exchange and the Financial Supervisory Authority on August 11, Nuclearelectrica said there was, “at this point”, a possibility that Unit 2 would be subject to a controlled shutdown on the morning of August 13, 2026.
The decision depends on three key factors: developments in hydrological forecasts from the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management (INHGA), the Danube’s falling water level, and the plant’s operating parameters. Nuclearelectrica says it will issue an official communication if a shutdown becomes imminent.
Therefore, at the time the information was published, Reactor 2 had not yet been shut down, and a shutdown on August 13 was a possible scenario rather than a final decision. This distinction is important in order to avoid concluding that Romania has already been left without nuclear generation.
Why Cernavodă’s last active reactor is at risk
The problem has been caused by severe drought and the Danube’s exceptionally low water level. Reuters reported on August 11 that the river’s flow on entering Romania had fallen to around 1,370 cubic metres per second, a new record low.
The Cernavodă plant relies on Danube water for processes needed to operate and cool its facilities. When the water level approaches the limits set out in operating procedures, the operator may decide to reduce output or carry out a controlled shutdown of a unit in order to maintain safety margins.
The drought has been compounded by the period’s extreme temperatures. See also the areas affected by Romania’s August 2026 heatwave and how long it could last. Extreme temperatures have affected not only Romania but several European countries, where the extreme heatwave is causing problems, including for energy production and supply.
Over the longer term, extreme climate events may place additional pressure on agriculture, water resources and energy. Read also the analysis of the possible impact of a strong El Niño on the global food crisis and climate events.
In recent days, authorities have resorted to unusual measures to maintain water flow to the plant, including dredging the riverbed, removing obstacles and using stone-laden barges to redirect part of the flow towards the plant’s intake area.
The measures temporarily allowed Unit 2 to continue operating at nominal capacity. On August 4, Nuclearelectrica confirmed that the water level had risen following the interventions, but warned even then that the risk of a shutdown would remain if hydrological forecasts continued to be unfavourable.
Unit 1 has already been offline since July 28
Cernavodă’s first reactor was subject to a controlled shutdown and disconnected from the National Energy System on the morning of July 28, 2026. The official reason was the Danube’s unprecedentedly low water level, caused by severe drought.
Nuclearelectrica said at the time that the shutdown was preventive and that keeping the reactor in a safe shutdown state posed no risk to nuclear safety, staff or the environment.
Unit 2 therefore remained the only reactor generating power.
What Romania loses if Reactor 2 is also shut down
Unit 2 has a capacity of approximately 700 MW. Together with Unit 1’s approximately 700 MW, the two reactors provide around 1,400 MW and under normal conditions account for roughly 20% of Romania’s electricity generation.
Shutting down Unit 2 would mean losing a source of approximately 700 MW that produces electricity almost continuously, regardless of the time of day. The impact is more difficult to offset in the evening, when photovoltaic generation disappears and household consumption may remain high because of temperatures and air-conditioner use. Romania is already under an energy alert for August.
Will there be power outages in Romania?
There is currently no announcement of a nationwide electricity interruption schedule for households. A potential shutdown of Reactor 2 would, however, increase pressure on the system and make Romania more dependent on imports and on the availability of other domestic generating capacity.
The Ministry of Energy has prepared several levels of intervention. According to information published by the ministry, phased restrictions on consumption by certain major industrial consumers between 19:00 and 23:00 are placed at the end of the set of measures that could be used to balance the system.
Before such a scenario is reached, the system can use electricity imports, generation available from other sources and energy reserves. Officials cited by ProTV also indicated the possibility of using coal-fired capacity and Hidroelectrica’s reserves.
Consequently, the risk of an energy shortfall is real, but power outages for household consumers are neither inevitable nor announced at this point.
The situation at Cernavodă comes as Romania is already facing significant pressure on electricity generation and consumption. We explained in detail why Romania entered an energy alert and how real the risk of power outages is in August 2026.
Imports become essential
If all nuclear generation is lost, Romania will have to replace a substantial amount of electricity from other sources. One of the main solutions is imports through interconnections with neighbouring countries.
The problem is that drought and heatwaves are not affecting Romania alone. Low river levels and high temperatures have also caused difficulties for power plants and energy systems in other European countries, which may limit the volumes available for import precisely during periods of peak demand.
This is one reason Romanian authorities have called on households and companies to voluntarily reduce consumption during peak periods.
What consumers can do
There is no need to switch off every appliance or take extreme measures. Reducing consumption during peak periods can nevertheless help the system: moving the use of washing machines or other large appliances outside evening hours and using air conditioning reasonably both reduce the burden on the grid. The Ministry of Energy explicitly called for voluntary reductions in consumption during peak hours in the context of August’s energy situation.
What happens on August 13
The decisive moment will be the morning of August 13. If the Danube’s water level and operating parameters no longer allow operation under the conditions set by the plant’s procedures, Nuclearelectrica may begin the controlled shutdown of Unit 2.
The director of Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant explained that in such a scenario, the reactor and turbine would be gradually ramped down over several hours, until zero output was reached and the unit was disconnected from the National Energy System.
For now, the situation should be described as a risk of shutdown, not a confirmed shutdown.
Link to the August energy alert
The article connects very well internally with the previously published piece “Romania has entered an energy alert: is there a risk of power outages in August 2026?”, as the situation at Cernavodă is a direct escalation of the scenario analysed there.
I would add the link after the “Will there be power outages in Romania?” section, with the anchor text “Romania’s energy alert”.
The Cernavodă plant could have no reactors in operation from August 13, 2026, if the Danube’s falling level forces Nuclearelectrica to shut down Unit 2 as well. The shutdown would remove an additional approximately 700 MW from the system, after Unit 1 was already taken offline at the end of July.
The situation increases the risk of an energy shortfall and dependence on imports, but does not mean Romania will automatically enter a power-outage schedule for households. In the scenarios prepared so far, restrictions on major industrial consumers come before any potential measures affecting households.
Frequently asked questions about Cernavodă and the risk of power outages
Will Cernavodă Reactor 2 be shut down?
Nuclearelectrica announced that there is a possibility of a controlled shutdown of Unit 2 at Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant on the morning of August 13, 2026, if the Danube’s water level and operating parameters no longer allow operation under the established conditions. The shutdown was not yet final at the time of the announcement.
Why could Cernavodă Reactor 2 be shut down?
The main problem is the Danube’s extremely low water level, caused by prolonged drought. The Cernavodă plant uses the river’s water in processes required to operate and cool its facilities, and if the water level falls below the necessary limits, the operator may decide to reduce output or carry out a controlled shutdown of the reactor.
Can Romania be left without nuclear power?
Yes, temporarily. Unit 1 is already offline, and if Unit 2 is also disconnected from the National Energy System, Romania would be left without nuclear electricity generation for a period. Cernavodă’s two reactors normally provide an important share of the country’s electricity generation.
Will there be power outages if Reactor 2 is shut down?
Shutting down Reactor 2 would not automatically mean power outages for households. The energy system can use imports, generation available from other power plants and system reserves. The risk of problems rises, however, if domestic generation remains low, consumption is very high and imports cannot cover the shortfall.
Is there a power-outage schedule in Romania?
No nationwide schedule of electricity interruptions for household consumers has been announced. Authorities are monitoring the energy system and may first apply other measures to reduce the imbalance between generation and consumption.
How much power does Cernavodă Reactor 2 generate?
Cernavodă Unit 2 has an electrical output of approximately 700 MW. Under normal conditions, Cernavodă’s two nuclear units together provide around one-fifth of Romania’s electricity generation.
How can Romania offset a Cernavodă shutdown?
The shortfall can be offset through a combination of electricity imports, increased generation available from other power plants, the use of system reserves and reduced consumption during peak hours. The situation becomes more difficult in the evening, when photovoltaic generation falls sharply.
What are the most sensitive hours for the energy system?
The evening period, approximately between 19:00 and 23:00, can be among the most difficult because solar generation declines or disappears while electricity demand may remain high, especially during heatwaves.
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