Romania shuts down last nuclear reactor as Danube hits record low

Romania has shut down the last operating reactor at its Cernavodă nuclear plant after a severe drought caused the Danube River to drop to record‑low levels, prompting the rare decision to halt the country’s sole nuclear source of electricity. The shutdown is expected to create an immediate shortfall in power generation, forcing Romania to rely more heavily on imports and to redirect available electricity to meet domestic demand.

The loss of Cernavodă’s output will directly affect Moldova, which already depends on Romanian electricity to offset its own supply deficits. With a summer heatwave intensifying across Europe and water‑level constraints limiting hydro‑electric production, both nations face heightened risk of an energy crunch, prompting authorities to seek alternative sources and implement conservation measures to stabilize the regional power grid.