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Romania Takes Measures to Secure Water Supply for Cernavoda Nuclear Plant

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Romania's National Committee for Emergency Situations on Friday approved measures to ensure a supply of cooling water for the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, a government statement published by state-owned Agerpress said on Saturday.

The emergency measures were approved amid the lowest Danube river water levels seen in recent history, the statement said.

The Cernavoda plant has two 706-megawatt CANDU-6 pressurized heavy-water reactors that generate about 20% of Romania's power output, according to media reports. It was shut down earlier this month due to falling Danube River water levels.

Emergency dredging of the Danube course in Cernavoda area will be carried out by the Lower Danube River Administration and National Administration Romanian Waters.

Romanian Waters, supported by the Ministry of National Defence specialists and military divers, will build an aqueduct to partially divert water to the Danube-Black Sea Canal and the cooling systems of Cernavoda NPP.

The Ministry of Energy and Hidroelectrica company will release an additional 50 cubic meters per second of water daily from Olt River accumulations for five days starting Aug. 22, with the additional water to be also used to produce electricity, the statement said.

The Danube-Black Sea Canal will serve as an operational reserve, with the Administration of Navigable Canals releasing water at the Cernavoda plant's request.

Meanwhile, the Department for Emergency Situations will deploy high-capacity pumps to maintain the water level required for the plant's operations, it said.

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