Four Barges to be Sunk in Romania to Cool Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant

On August 5, four barges will be sunk in the Danube River to direct the flow of water to the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant. Engineering works are necessary to cool the plant due to the lowering water level of the river. Excavators with capacities of 35 tons and 60 tons were used to clear the blast zone near the Parjoaia cliff. The military conducted blasting operations to redirect the flow from the Balta arm to the Old Danube, which raised the water level by 10-12 cm. Initial results of the operation showed that the drop in water level had stopped, and after the displacement of soil, there was an increase of 2 cm. Considering the projected drop of 2-3 cm per day, the overall positive effect amounted to 4 cm. The shutdown of the first block of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant due to heat has already led to a loss of 10% of domestic electricity production, and the threat of shutting down the second block remains high. Romania's acting Minister of Defense, Radu Mircea, noted that an additional day of operation for the power plant is financially more efficient than the costs of these operations.