Unit 1 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant has been restarted

Unit 1 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant was reconnected to the National Energy System on Friday, November 6, after a shutdown lasting more than three months caused by the very low level of the Danube. The unit will gradually return to the system at a power output of approximately 700 MW, after specialists determined that the minimum conditions for safely resuming operations have been met.

Startup maneuvers began on Wednesday, November 4. The reactor will not immediately reach maximum output: after synchronization, capacity will be increased in stages, with checks of the cooling systems, safety equipment, turbine, and generator. According to technical estimates, Unit 1 could reach normal operating conditions over the weekend.

Unit 1 was shut down in a controlled manner on July 28, and Unit 2 on August 13, due to the drought and the reduction in water available for cooling. Both reactors were kept in a safe state, with no risks to the population or the environment.

The restart of Unit 2 depends on a further and stable rise in the Danube's level. At Cernavodă, the level reached minus 219 centimeters on Friday, while forecasts indicate a rise to minus 187 centimeters over the next seven days. When operating together, the two units provide approximately 20% of the national electricity demand.