The two units of the Kozloduy NPP continue to operate at full load according to the previously approved electricity production schedule, even though the Danube River level has reached record lows for the last decades. This was reported by the press center of the Ministry of Energy, specifying that the security and cooling of nuclear power plants are guaranteed through a special action plan, activated in early July 2026.
The critically low level of the river is due to the consecutive heat waves and minimal rainfall in Western and Central Europe, where the main part of the Danube River basin is located.
To address the situational risk, the Minister of Energy Iva Petrova established direct contact with the Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia Dubravka Džedović. The aim of the negotiations is to ensure that the level of the Danube River is maintained after the Kozloduy NPP above the critical operating thresholds through the capabilities of the “Djerdap“ hydropower complex.
The “Djerdap“ facility, together with the hydropower system on the Romanian side, is operated in accordance with the provisions of the bilateral 1998 Operation Convention and strictly complies with the issued water use permits.
The Ministry of Energy also maintains continuous contact with the Executive Agency “Danube River Research and Maintenance“ to monitor hydrological trends, as well as with the Electricity System Operator for balancing the network.
The Ministry of Energy emphasizes an important technical clarification regarding the technological process: the water taken from the Danube River is used only for cooling the steam in the condensers located in the non-nuclear part of the plant.
The river water is not used for direct cooling of the nuclear reactors, which guarantees a high level of safety and prevents risks of pollution or technological overheating.
The supply of the necessary water quantities is carried out by its own coastal pumping station. It is located in a deep bay of the river and was designed based on hydrological data from a hundred-year study of the Danube River levels.
Thanks to this design, reliable and stable operation of the facilities is ensured even during prolonged droughts and extremely low river levels. An automated system for continuous real-time measurement also operates in front of the pumping station.