Romania shuts nuclear reactor as Danube drought reaches record low

Romania shut down its last working nuclear reactor on Thursday, after the Danube River dropped to dangerously low levels. The reactor is at the Cernavoda plant, which normally produces about one-fifth of the country's electricity. A first reactor was already closed in July. Before Thursday's shutdown, the Romanian navy used a controlled explosion to push more river water toward the plant, hoping to keep it running longer. The Danube's flow in July was the lowest recorded in 34 years. Romania has declared a national emergency for August because electricity production has fallen sharply. The government says wind power and imported electricity will cover the gap. Hungary's only nuclear reactor has also faced a possible shutdown for the same reason.