Romania Shuts Cernavodă Nuclear Plant Due to Record Low Danube Levels
Romania's only nuclear power plant at Cernavodă was shut down on August 13, 2026, as extreme heat caused the Danube River's water levels to drop below the threshold required for cooling operations. The plant provides approximately 20% of Romania's electricity. The shutdown has triggered concerns over national energy security and grid stability during a period of peak summer demand, highlighting the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to climate-driven environmental changes.