Romania seeks to raise Danube water levels to ensure nuclear power plant cooling operations

(Central News Agency, Warsaw, Comprehensive Foreign Reports on the 22nd) The Romanian Government Information Office said today that Romania’s National Committee for Emergency Situations has approved new measures to increase the water level of the Danube River to ensure the cooling operations of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant.

Reuters reported that the Chenavda Nuclear Power Plant is now fully shut down as water levels in the Danube River, which is used for the plant's cooling system, have dropped to record lows. Amid the decline in power generation, Romania declared a state of emergency for the entire month of August.

The latest measures approved by the Romanian authorities include emergency dredging of the Danube channel in the area where the nuclear power plant is located, and the construction of a jetty along the old Danube waterway to guide water flow to the area near the water intake of the nuclear power plant's cooling system.

At the same time, hydropower operator Hidroelectrica will release water from the River Olt reservoir for five days starting today to raise the Danube river level and generate additional electricity. Large-capacity water pumps will also be mobilized when necessary to maintain the water level required for the operation of the nuclear power plant.