The exceptionally low water level of the Danube is beginning to seriously disrupt electricity production, river transport, and refinery supply in central and southeastern Europe. Due to prolonged drought, high temperatures, and a lack of rainfall, the river's flow has dropped to its lowest level in thirty years. The most serious situation is in Romania and Hungary, where water shortages are threatening the operation of nuclear power plants.
The Romanian army used approximately 180 kilograms of explosives to remove an underwater rock formation from the Danube's shallow riverbed. The aim of the intervention was to redirect a greater volume of water into the main channel, which supplies the Cernavodă nuclear power plant with the water needed to cool its reactors.
According to Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruță, the river level approached the minimum threshold required for the safe cooling of the nuclear facility. The plant's first reactor unit was shut down as early as 28 July. Cernavodă is Romania's only nuclear power plant and accounts for approximately one fifth of the country's electricity production.
A critical situation also prevails in Hungary. The Paks nuclear power plant, which uses water from the Danube to cool its reactors, is reportedly operating at just over ten percent of its normal capacity. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that the plant can continue operating in a limited mode only until Monday or Tuesday. During the course of the week, it could be shut down entirely due to the record-low water levels.
For Hungary, this would represent a significant blow to its energy system, as Paks is one of the country's most important sources of electricity. The government also warned that the next few days would be exceptionally demanding due to the heat wave and the potential shutdown of the plant.
The low Danube water level has also affected Serbia. President Aleksandar Vučić warned that river traffic could be halted within days. Supplies of raw materials to the oil refinery in the city of Pančevo are also at risk. The Serbian government called on residents to reduce electricity consumption, as hydroelectric power plants on the Danube are generating significantly less energy.
Problems have also been reported in Slovakia, where vessel passage through the navigation locks has been restricted. In Bratislava, the river level dropped to 216 centimetres, while at some locations outside the capital it reaches only 66 centimetres. The Slovak Academy of Sciences recorded an instantaneous flow rate of just 750 cubic metres per second, the lowest value since measurements began in 1876.
gnews.cz - GH