Romania’s Cernavoda nuclear power plant is just 3 cm above the minimum water level required for operation, after the Danube level fell sharply on August 10 despite emergency works aimed at diverting additional water towards the plant. Figures indicate that the shutdown of the second of two Cernavoda reactors is imminent.
The National Administration of Romanian Waters said on August 10 that the Danube level at Cernavoda had fallen to -227 cm, compared with the minimum operating level of -230 cm, Agerpres reported. The development leaves little margin for the continued operation of the reactor, expected to last for no more than a couple of days.
The latest decline came after the water level had temporarily increased following the sinking of barges loaded with rocks in the Danube as part of an operation designed to redirect more water towards the arm supplying Cernavoda. A 4 cm increase had been reported over the weekend, but the level subsequently fell by 5 cm, according to Antena 3.
“At Cernavodă, the Danube level decreased by 5 cm compared to the previous day, reaching the value of -227 cm (compared to -222 cm as recorded on August 9),” the National Administration of Romanian Waters said.
The authority forecast that the Danube level at Cernavoda would continue declining by around 2 cm per day through August 14. The rate is expected to slow to 1 cm per day thereafter, with the level forecast to stabilize around -236 cm on August 16.
The forecast would take the water level well below the technical threshold required for the plant’s second reactor. Cernavoda has already been operating with one of its two reactors shut down, leaving 680 MW of nuclear capacity unavailable.
The situation has increased pressure on Romania’s electricity system during a period of high summer demand and exceptionally low Danube flows. The government has prepared a mechanism allowing Transelectrica to disconnect certain large industrial consumers with 24 hours’ notice if available generation cannot cover projected demand.
Household consumers and facilities whose operations cannot be interrupted, including hospitals and certain energy infrastructure, are excluded from the mechanism.
The Romanian authorities’ efforts on the Danube were intended to extend the operating period of the remaining reactor, but the latest hydrological data indicate that the margin is narrowing rapidly.
(Photo: Apele Române Facebook Page)
iulian@romania-insider.com
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