Romania Shuts Down Nuclear Plant Due to Low Danube River Levels
Romania's only nuclear power station has been shut down due to extremely low water levels in the Danube River caused by prolonged hot weather
Romania has shut down its only nuclear power station, the Cernavodă plant, due to extremely low water levels in the Danube River. The plant, which produces about 20% of Romania's electricity, uses the Danube for cooling and is not expected to be restarted within the next 10 days.
## Background The low water levels in the Danube River are caused by prolonged hot weather affecting much of Europe. The waters in Europe's second-longest river have fallen to the lowest levels for 30 years in several countries. Neighbouring Hungary has so far avoided a shutdown of its only nuclear plant in Paks, which also uses the Danube.
## Impact on Power Generation The shortfall in power is usually covered by solar and wind during the hot, windy daytimes, but traditional coal- and gas-powered generation will have to be supplemented by imports during the evenings. Romania also has huge hydropower capacity, although that has been heavily cut by the same low river levels that caused the nuclear shutdown.
## Climate Change and Its Effects Climate change is driving up temperatures around the world, but particularly in Europe. According to the Copernicus climate service, Europe is the fastest warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average. This is causing increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on Europe's waters, and more intense wildfires. The effects of climate change can be seen in the low water levels of the Rhine, another of Europe's key waterways, which is severely limiting traffic. The continent's agricultural sector has also taken a noticeable hit, with Italy's largest agricultural trade association estimating that climate-related damage could exceed €3bn.
## Economic and Humanitarian Impact The economic impact of the heatwaves and low water levels is significant, with France's Environment Minister warning that the recent heatwaves could rack up €10bn to €15bn in direct and indirect costs. The Dutch bank Triodos said the extreme heat and its consequences could wipe out much of the projected economic growth for the EU. In addition to the economic impact, the heatwaves have also had a humanitarian impact, with multiple fires burning across the West Midlands and several people reported injured and four homes destroyed. Rain is expected to arrive in more places of the UK over the weekend, but it will take more than showers to bring the UK's widespread drought to an end.
