The countdown has begun for the Danube, as historic drought and an unprecedented heatwave have brought Europe's largest river to record-low water levels, raising an alarm for governments and energy authorities. The next five days are considered critical, as receding waters threaten the operation of nuclear power plants, fuel transport, and navigation along one of the continent's most important waterways.
The danger does not only concern vessels that are no longer able to cross sections of the river. In Hungary, the Paks nuclear power plant, which covers about 40% of the country's electricity generation, faces the threat of restricted or even complete operational shutdown due to the lack of water needed for cooling its reactors.
At the same time, Serbia warns of severe problems in oil supply, while Romania takes emergency measures to ensure the operation of its nuclear power plant in Cernavodă. The retreat of the Danube thus transforms from an environmental crisis into a test for the energy security and economy of Central Europe.
Serbia: Threat to navigation and the country's sole refinery
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, warned that within the coming days, navigation on the Danube may be almost completely halted.
"In two or three days, the Danube will no longer be navigable. Today it still is, but ships must reduce their draft, meaning they carry a 50% lighter load," stated the Serbian President.
Such a development would endanger the operation of the country's sole oil refinery, located in the city of Pančevo. According to Vučić, the lack of water is already creating serious problems for the factory's operation, while a further drop in the river level could fully disrupt the supply chain.
"The problem is no longer just the price of oil, but also the fact that its physical availability is decreasing. If our refinery stops, the country's economic growth will be directly hit," he emphasized.
At the same time, he revealed that Serbia is already facing a diesel shortage, attributing the situation to damage suffered by refineries in Russia and Ukraine. He assured, however, that authorities are closely monitoring developments and will immediately inform citizens if the situation deteriorates.
Slovakia: Problems in transport and tourism
In Slovakia, the historically low water level of the Danube has already disrupted river transport. According to The Slovak Spectator, large cargo ships can no longer cross certain sections of the river due to shallow depth.
Several cargo vessels remain docked at ports or anchorages, waiting for water levels to rise.
The crisis has also impacted tourism. International cruises between Germany, Austria, and Hungary are forced to alter their itineraries, with passengers continuing their journeys by bus. Some trips end prematurely in Bratislava instead of Budapest, while restrictions have also been imposed on local river excursions.
Authorities modified the operation of the Gabčíkovo hydroelectric complex, trying to maintain navigation while simultaneously limiting water loss. Environmental organizations, however, are requesting that larger quantities of water be directed to floodplains and river branches to protect ecosystems.
Hungary: For the first time in 44 years, Paks nuclear plant shuts down
The most severe impact is recorded in Hungary, where the country's sole nuclear power plant, Paks, is set to completely cease operations for the first time in 44 years.
According to The Brussels Times, Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced that on the night of August 3, the penultimate active reactor was taken offline. The cause is the dramatic drop in the level of the Danube, whose waters are used to cool the four Soviet-built reactors.
Today, the station operates at limited capacity, just 240 megawatts, a level that, according to the Prime Minister, can be maintained until August 4. However, a complete shutdown is expected by the end of the week, as river levels are forecasted to drop even further.
"Today, perhaps tomorrow as well, the last turbine producing 240 megawatts will be able to continue operating. The most critical five days are beginning. The electrical grid and water supply are coming under increasing pressure," stated Magyar.
The nuclear station, located about 100 kilometers south of Budapest, generates nearly 40% of Hungary's electricity. Plant management had already warned since late July that a further drop in the Danube level would lead to a full suspension of operations.
In some parts of the river, water levels have reached historical lows, while meteorologists predict temperatures of up to 40 to 42 degrees Celsius, a factor that may further exacerbate the crisis.
Romania: State of heightened readiness and rescue operation for nuclear plant
In Romania, the government declared a state of heightened energy readiness for August. According to Bloomberg, the decision was taken due to a significant decrease in electricity production caused by the drought and the extremely low levels of the Danube.
Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced that one of the two reactors at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant has already been taken offline, while the second may also stop if the river level continues to fall.
Romania plans to increase electricity imports from Ukraine during peak hours and accelerate the grid connection of new renewable energy units and storage systems.
At the same time, authorities are preparing a major hydrotechnical operation on the Danube. The Deputy General Director of the National Water Authority stated that a controlled sinking of several barges, each loaded with approximately 500 tons of stone, is planned to alter water flow in the area of the Bbala branch.
The shipping company Navrom will provide four barges for the operation. The first two departed on August 2, while two others were scheduled to arrive in the city of Isaccea on August 3 to be loaded with stones.
The goal is to direct a larger volume of water toward the intake of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant after their sinking, keeping the second reactor operational for as long as possible.
On August 3, it was also disclosed that the Romanian army carried out a controlled explosion using 180 kilograms of explosives to remove a large rock obstructing water flow toward the station.
World War II warships and mammoth bones appeared from the waters
The dramatic drop in the Danube's level revealed not only transport and energy problems, but also significant historical discoveries.
According to The Telegraph, near the Serbian town of Prahovo, German World War II warships re-emerged, having been scuttled during the retreat of German troops from the Red Army.
The European Investment Bank estimates that there are approximately 200 sunken ships on the bed of the Danube, including barges, tugboats, and warships.
Gun turrets, bridges, masts, and hull sections remain preserved on several of them. The shipwrecks cause delays to navigation, with Serbia estimating annual commercial transport losses of around 5 million euros. The European Investment Bank allocated 16 million euros to clear the riverbed, but work is complicated as some vessels may still contain unexploded ordnance.
At the same time, in Bulgaria, receding waters led to a striking paleontological discovery. Near the city of Ruse, researchers located the remains of a woolly mammoth, extracting a jaw, tusks, a shoulder blade, and a femur from the riverbank mud.
According to initial expert estimates, the bones belong to a young mammoth. Their dark color indicates that they remained in a swampy environment for a very long period.
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