Drought puts pressure on the electric system in Romania and Southeast Europe, but the supply remains stable
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The European Commission is monitoring the effects of drought and low river levels on electricity supply security in Romania, Hungary, and Southeast Europe. The Electricity Coordination Group met on August 11 to analyze the situation, and the Commission states that water levels maintain tense conditions, but that electricity supply is currently safe and stable.
In short
The Electricity Coordination Group met on August 11 to analyze electricity supply security in the context of drought and low river water levels.
The Commission explicitly mentioned Romania, Hungary, and the Southeast European region among the areas being monitored.
The Commission's assessment is that the situation generated by water levels is tense, but electricity supply remains safe and stable. No supply issues or emergency measures have been announced.
Electricity transmission operators hold detailed operational information, and the Commission states that it maintains coordination with them.
European assessments for the summer of 2026 anticipated lower hydropower availability than in the previous summer, without identifying a general risk to electricity supply in most of the Union.
The Electricity Coordination Group analyzed on August 11 the security of electricity supply against the backdrop of drought and low water levels in European rivers, during a period in which hydrological conditions are being monitored in several member states.
The Commission explicitly mentioned Romania and Hungary, as well as the Southeast European region, when asked about the effects of low river levels on the energy system.
The assessment presented after the group's meeting does not indicate a supply crisis.
"The situation is generally tense due to water levels, but it is safe and stable," said the Commission's spokesperson.
The Commission is monitoring the situation together with electricity transmission system operators, who hold operational data regarding network functioning and the balance between production and consumption.
Low water levels can become relevant for the electricity system through several mechanisms, but the Commission did not specify in the briefing which of these represents the concrete issue in Romania, Hungary, or in other Southeast European states.
The situation in Romania cannot be attributed, based on the information presented by the Commission, to a specific power plant, a specific type of production, or a single technical cause.
The European context shows, however, that hydropower availability was already being monitored before the current drought period.
The European assessment for the summer of 2026 did not anticipate general risks for electricity supply security in most of the Union. Hydropower availability was estimated to be at a lower level than in the previous summer, but without indicating a general supply issue.
At the same time, the European system benefits from greater production capacity from renewable sources and an increase in storage capacities, factors that can help balance the networks when other production sources are affected.
Supply security depends on the combination of production, consumption, network availability, and cross-border exchanges, not on a single source of electricity.
The interconnection of electricity systems allows states to transfer energy between markets when the networks and available capacities permit this. European coordination is especially important when issues in one state can have effects on neighboring regions.
The Electricity Coordination Group is one of the mechanisms used for this exchange of information. The group allows the Commission and member states to discuss the market situation and risks to supply security when they may have cross-border implications.
The meeting on August 11 should be separated from the activation of a European emergency situation. The Commission confirmed monitoring and tense conditions, but did not report electricity supply interruptions in Romania, Hungary, or Southeast Europe.
No exceptional European measures for reducing consumption or emergency interventions in the market have been announced.
The message conveyed after the meeting was that supply security is maintained, while the evolution of water levels continues to be monitored.
Drought is already visible in several European regions, including Romania and Hungary, and hydrological conditions can affect energy systems in different ways.
Low reservoir levels can reduce hydropower production, and high temperatures can increase electricity consumption for cooling. In certain situations, lack of water can also affect the operation of power plants that use water for cooling.
These are general risks for energy systems and do not confirm that all manifest simultaneously in Romania in the current situation.
For Romania, the information confirmed by the Commission on August 11 is that the evolution is part of the regional situation monitored by the Electricity Coordination Group and that supply security remains stable.
Brussels indicated that monitoring will continue together with transmission operators, who are tracking in real-time the available capacities and the functioning of the networks.
The Electricity Coordination Group is the forum through which the Commission, member states, and relevant stakeholders exchange information about issues in the electricity sector that may have cross-border effects.
The situation in August comes after assessments for the summer of 2026 anticipated lower hydropower availability than in the previous year, without identifying a general risk for electricity supply in most of the EU.
Romania and Hungary are among the states where drought conditions have deteriorated during the summer.
On August 11, the Commission did not report a problem with electricity supply in Romania and did not announce emergency measures. The assessment communicated after the Electricity Coordination Group meeting is that the situation caused by low water levels remains tense, but safe and stable.
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