Electricity prices could register a moderate increase in the fall of 2026, in th...
Verdict: ALMOST TRUE
Verdict details
Confidence: 77%
Evidence quality: MEDIE
**What was analyzed:** The statements of interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan regarding the impact of drought on the operation of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, compensatory measures through imports and coal, as well as estimates for the commissioning of new energy capacities. **What sources confirm:** International and national reference publications (BBC, Politico, Euronews, Reuters) confirm that the drought in the summer of 2026 and the historic drop in the Danube's flow forced the shutdown of the reactors at Cernavodă (which produce ~20% of Romania's energy), leading authorities to resort to imports and to activate reserve coal units. **Limitations:** No external sources were found to confirm the exact status of the technical schedule for the tests at Mintia and Iernut.; The exact costs during peak evening hours are not detailed in the available sources.; Some quotes did not pass source verification or connection to the claim and were removed; the status of each claim reflects t…
Sources consulted
| Source | Domain | Date | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danube River Drought and Its Impact on Electricity Markets of Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria – Renewable Market Watch | renewablemarketwatch.com | 2026-01-01 | The 2026 Danube drought has provided a clear and urgent signal: Europe’s energy security is fundamentally linked to water security. The unprecedented, simultane |
| Romania pushes Cernavodă restart beyond mid-September as Danube drought persists | Serbia SEE Energy Mining News | serbia-energy.eu | — | Recent day-ahead markets have repeatedly shown prices above €250/MWh during the evening peak across Romania and neighbouring markets. The prolonged outage incre |
| Romania’s Cernavoda Nuclear Plant May Remain Offline Until October | logos-pres.md | 2026-09-09 | The two units at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Station accounted for approximately 20 per cent of Romania’s total electricity consumption. Consequently, their dec |
| When the Danube runs dry - How CEE's power systems are coping with the 2026 heat-drought | centraleuropeantimes.com | 2026-01-01 | 1 month ago - Romania's national nuclear operator, Nuclearelectrica, had to shut down Cernavodă unit 1 due to the unprecedentedly low level of the Danube – less |
| Danube Falls to All-Time Low as Europe's Drought Forces Nuclear Reactors Offline | techtimes.com | 2026-01-01 | The simultaneous output reductions at Paks and Cernavodă — along with French nuclear output cuts documented during three separate heatwaves earlier in 2026 — ar |
| Romania shuts off second reactor at Cernavodă NPP amid low water levels on Danube | Euronews | euronews.com | 2026-08-13 | The current drought has been exacerbated by human-induced climate change, according to a report by the World Weather Attribution group of scientists, who warn t |
| Nuclear plants shut down as Europe’s drought becomes an ... | cnbc.com | 2026-08-12 | A view of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant as low flow rate of the Danube River has raised the risk of a shutdown of both operating reactors in Cernavoda, Cons |
| Drought and heat push Europe's power grid to breaking point | New Scientist | newscientist.com | — | In Romania this week, naval engineers blew up a rock outcrop to help more water flow from the Danube towards the country’s Cernavodă nuclear plant, in a bid to |
Recommended next steps
- Consult the official communications of the Ministry of Energy and the National Energy Dispatch regarding the status of stocks and production capacities.
- Monitor the Danube flow data provided by INHGA to verify the feasibility of resuming operations at Cernavodă in October.
Analysis limitations
- No external sources were found to confirm the exact status of the technical schedule for the tests at Mintia and Iernut.
- The exact costs during peak evening hours are not detailed in the available sources.
- Some quotes did not pass source verification or connection to the claim and were removed; the status of each claim reflects the evidence preserved in its list.
- The central claim is verified only through secondary media coverage — among the cited evidence, no primary source (named publication, court portal, original document) appears.
- Publication of official reports from Transelectrica/ANRE regarding the evolution of hourly prices and imports during peak hours.
- Official communications or confirmations from responsible companies regarding the commencement of tests at Mintia and Iernut.
View full analysis on Justificat.ro
How to cite this
In-text citation: Justificat.ro, „Electricity prices could register a moderate increase in the fall of 2026, in the context of issues caused by drought an", 2026-09-11, https://justificat.ro/en/analysis/declaratiile-premierului-interimar-ilie-bolojan-privind-impactul-secetei-asupra-66682aba-f81e-44f5-b2c2-e4c1496cf0ff
License: Verdicts and aggregate figures may be quoted freely with attribution and a link to Justificat.ro.