Low Danube water curtails Hungary's Paks output, Romania blasts rock for Cernavoda cooling

Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant is currently running at roughly 10 % of its design capacity after a severe shortage of cooling water from the Danube forced operators to reduce output. The reduced flow has limited the plant’s ability to dissipate heat from the reactor core, prompting the Hungarian government to seek additional water sources and to accelerate plans for a new cooling system.

In a parallel effort to secure water for Romania’s Cernavoda nuclear facility, the Romanian military detonated a rock outcrop that had been blocking a natural channel. The explosion was intended to widen the watercourse and improve the flow of river water that feeds the plant’s cooling system. The operation was carried out under tight security protocols and is expected to help maintain Cernavoda’s operational stability.

Both incidents underscore the vulnerability of nuclear power plants to hydrological conditions. While Paks has temporarily scaled back production, Romania’s intervention aims to prevent a similar shortfall at Cernavoda. The two countries’ actions highlight the need for robust water‑management strategies in the region’s nuclear infrastructure.