Romania Disconnects Last Reactor as Europe Heatwave Threatens €180 Billion Economic Hit
Updated
Updated · CNN International · Aug 14
Romania Disconnects Last Reactor as Europe Heatwave Threatens €180 Billion Economic Hit
3 articles · Updated · CNN International · Aug 14
Summary
Romania began disconnecting its sole operating nuclear reactor from the grid Thursday after record-low Danube levels threatened cooling water supplies, deepening an August energy emergency.
Record heat and drought are hitting power, transport and farming at once: France and Hungary also curtailed nuclear output, while low Rhine levels could cut Germany's growth by 0.3 percentage points.
Triodos Bank estimates Europe’s fifth heatwave of 2026 could cost €180 billion, or 1% of EU GDP, through weaker labor productivity and disruptions to agriculture, energy and transport.
Gas markets are adding pressure ahead of winter: EU storage was 59% full on Tuesday, and benchmark gas settled at €61 per megawatt hour Wednesday, nearly double a year earlier as Hormuz disruptions squeeze LNG supply.
The latest shutdowns follow Western Europe’s hottest June and July on record, underscoring how climate stress is colliding with war-driven energy costs and already weak industrial growth.