Nuclearelectrica confirmed that Cernavoda shut down both reactors on the evening of November 9, leaving Romania without nuclear power generation. Unit 1 stopped operating immediately after an incident in the plant’s conventional block forced a halt to its electricity production. Simultaneously, a sudden drop in the Danube’s water level halted preparations to restart Unit 2, which had been offline since August 13. This marks the second time this year that both units have been dark at once, following a summer outage where low river flow also grounded the facility. The simultaneous absence of these two reactors has forced the national energy system to rely entirely on wind generation, hydropower, and electricity imports to cover demand.
Operational failures and safety status
The company stated that specialists are working simultaneously to restart both units and reconnect them to the National Power System as soon as possible. Nuclearelectrica did not provide a timetable for resumption or confirm whether the river’s current water level would allow Unit 1 to restart quickly. The remedial work is being carried out in accordance with applicable procedures at Cernavoda, without any impact on nuclear safety, personnel, or the environment. Such incidents at the conventional block are rather frequent, and they do not take much time to resolve according to the operator. The root cause of the latest incident will be addressed in a subsequent report, as the company has not yet disclosed its investigation findings.
Capacity loss and leadership change
The two reactors have a combined installed capacity of about 1,400 MW and supplied around 20% of Romania’s electricity consumption during peak periods. Their simultaneous removal from the grid represents a significant strain on the national supply chain, especially given the recent history of operational instability. Nuclearelectrica also announced that the technical director of Cernavoda NPP will be replaced with effect from December 1, 2026. This personnel change occurs while the company must still manage the complex logistics of restarting both units under variable hydrological conditions. The firm said it would report further developments in accordance with disclosure requirements applicable to a publicly listed company. No specific date for full restoration of nuclear output has been set.
