Symbolic imageRomania shuts Cernavoda as record-low Danube throttles Europe's power
Romania took its only nuclear plant off the grid on Thursday after drought pushed the Danube to record lows. Moldova, which leans on Romanian power, is exposed.
Nuclearelectrica disconnected Cernavoda's second 706-megawatt reactor on Thursday, 13 August, and sees no restart within ten days; the first of the two units, which together supply about a fifth of Romania's electricity, went offline in late July. Bucharest has declared an energy emergency for August and urged restraint at evening peaks. Moldova covers up to 60% of its shortfall with Romanian power and may need imports from Ukraine or the west, or rolling cuts.
Hungary dams the Danube for Paks
Hungary's military is damming the Danube near Paks with 150,000 cubic metres of rubble, about 16 million euros, to lift the river by up to a metre; the government ordered the work on Wednesday. Only two of eight turbines there still run.
Six French reactors idled
EDF had six reactors offline on Thursday, two at Chooz plus units at Cattenom, Golfech, Bugey and Saint-Alban; 13 of 57 were affected, a record deficit of over 20% of nuclear capacity.
Rhine split in two at Kaub
The Kaub gauge fell to 11 centimetres on Thursday, the lowest on record, splitting the Rhine into north and south; replacing a day's freight there would take 6,575 trucks or 2,740 wagons.
Other opinions
Daily Sabah's agency copy omits Moldova and closes on the ministry's assurance that wind and imports will cover demand; the Guardian leads on Moldova's exposure.