low water levels

Romania has been compelled to shut down its only nuclear power station, the Cernavodă plant, due to critically low water levels in the Danube River. This drastic measure is a direct consequence of prolonged hot weather impacting Europe, leading to a significant drop in the river's water levels. The Cernavodă plant, responsible for approximately 20% of Romania's electricity supply, has had to cease operations of its reactors, with no immediate expectation of restart within the next ten days. Authorities had previously attempted to mitigate the situation by increasing water flow to the plant, which relies on the river for cooling. The unusually low water levels have exposed previously submerged areas, highlighting the severity of the drought conditions. This event underscores the vulnerability of essential infrastructure, like nuclear power generation, to extreme weather events and their impact on vital water resources.