In Reply to: The Colorado RIver is a looming disaster posted by mh on August 01, 2026 at 12:37:49
Record-low water levels in the Danube River have forced Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant and Romania’s Cernavodă nuclear plant to reduce output or shut down reactors due to insufficient cooling water.
Hungary: Paks Nuclear Power Plant
The Paks nuclear plant, Hungary’s only nuclear facility, has been severely affected by the Danube’s historic low water levels. Reactor 3 was completely shut down, and Reactor 2 had its output reduced by 50% as of July 30, 2026, because the river water used for cooling could no longer meet operational requirements safely
Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that a full shutdown could occur within 24–72 hours if water levels continue to fall, marking an unprecedented event in the plant’s history since it began operations in the early 1980s
The plant operates four Russian-built VVER-440 reactors, generating about half of Hungary’s electricity
Romania: Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant
In Romania, the Cernavodă nuclear plant, which normally supplies around 20% of the country’s electricity, has also been impacted. Unit 1 was shut down on July 28, 2026, due to the Danube’s unprecedentedly low flow, while Unit 2 remains online after technical assessments confirmed safe operation