Romania Cuts Peak Power Use Amid Nuclear Cooling Crisis

The Government of Romania reduced evening peak electricity consumption by 200-300 MW last week following national appeals for energy conservation. Prime Minister and acting Energy Minister Ilie Bolojan reported that evening demand dropped to between 7,300 MW and 7,700 MW, down from typical levels of 7,700-8,000 MW.

The power system pressure results from low Danube water levels and reduced availability at the Cernavoda nuclear plant. To keep Reactor 2 operational, officials are deploying dredging equipment and sinking rock barges to secure necessary cooling water flow. In response to government appeals, industrial actors including Donalam, Dacia, and Ford adjusted operating schedules or accelerated August maintenance shutdowns to ease grid demand.

To prevent potential grid failure, the government established a mechanism to disconnect large industrial consumers with 24 hours' notice if voluntary reductions prove insufficient. Hospitals and critical infrastructure remain exempt from these preventive disconnections. Separately, the government met with fuel suppliers and carriers, concluding that recent supply disruptions are nearing resolution with no expected shortages for the general population, transport operators, or the agricultural sector.