Europe's nuclear plants cut output as heatwaves drain rivers
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European nuclear operators have cut output or halted reactors as record heatwaves and drought push river levels to historic lows. Romania disconnected its only operating reactor in August, and Hungary's Paks plant is running just one of four turbines. The disruptions are expected to cost Europe billions in economic losses.
Key Facts
- Romania's Nuclearelectrica disconnected its only operating reactor from the grid in August due to critically low Danube levels.
- Hungary's Paks nuclear plant, which normally supplies about 40% of the country's electricity, is operating only one of its four turbine units.
- Europe has endured five heatwaves this summer, with temperatures above 30°C and prolonged drought driving river levels to record lows.
- The Cernavoda plant's two reactors supply around one-fifth of Romania's electricity when fully operational.
Cooling Constraints
Nuclear plants convert only about one-third of reactor heat into electricity, releasing the rest into rivers or the sea. Legal temperature limits protect aquatic life because warm water holds less oxygen. When river levels fall, waste heat is distributed across a smaller water volume, causing temperatures to rise faster. Several operators have reduced output or paused operations in recent weeks to protect the local environment.
National Responses
Romania dredged the Danube and sank rock-filled barges before the shutdown, and naval forces carried out a controlled underwater explosion to improve water flow to Cernavoda's cooling systems. The Paks plant in Hungary is running only one turbine unit during peak low-water levels on the Danube. Governments across Europe have rationed water and issued wildfire warnings, including a national emergency alert in the United Kingdom.
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Europe's nuclear plants cut output as heatwaves drain rivers
