The Romanian authorities have begun today a controlled shutdown of the second unit of the “Cherna Voda“ nuclear power plant due to the low level of the Danube River waters, which are used to cool the turbine condensers, local media reported, quoted by BTA.
The national company “Nuclearelectrica“, which is the operator of the plant, announced in a statement sent to the Bucharest Stock Exchange that the activities for the controlled shutdown of the second unit of the plant began at 7:00 a.m. today and will end around 11:00 a.m.
At the end of July, due to the low flow rate of the Danube, the first reactor of the nuclear power plant was also shut down, the media recall.
The “Cherna Voda“ NPP has two reactors with a capacity of 700 megawatts each. The plant provides about 20 percent of Romania's electricity production.
“The decision to control the shutdown of Unit 2 is dictated by the continuing significant decrease in the level of the Danube River,“ said “Nuclearelectrica“.
According to the forecast of the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management for the period 12-19 August, the flow of the Danube when it enters Romania will be in the range of 1350-1400 cubic meters/sec, which is below the multi-year average for the month of August of 3900 cubic meters/sec.