All estimates indicate that there are no risks to the national power supply and that the energy system is stable, interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Friday.

'The energy system is stable after Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant had to be shut down in a controlled manner yesterday due to the decrease in the Danube's flow rate. All estimates indicate that there are no risks to the national power supply. In the short term, together with the National Energy Dispatch Centre, we took measures to compensate for the loss of nuclear power, around 650 MW, almost 10% of total national consumption, through hydro, wind and coal-fired generation as well as imports. I thank everyone involved in this effort and all Romanians who understood the need to reduce their consumption in the evening,' Ilie Bolojan wrote in a Facebook post.

He said that he had notified the European Commission about the crisis situation, stressing that Romania has cross-border import capacity of approximately 4,000 MW.

The interim prime minister stressed that long-term measures are also needed.

'But Romania needs more than just firefighting. It also needs long-term measures. In the energy sector, decisions on investment and public policy show results in two to three years. When you fail to do what is needed for years, there are no magic solutions to fix problems overnight. The difficult situation we are facing, following the shutdown of both units at Cernavoda, is the result of the drought in the Danube basin, but also of many years in which a lack of vision, poor decisions and a reluctance to take responsibility have accumulated. For example, if the works designed and approved to increase the flow of the Danube towards Cernavoda had been prioritised rather than postponed for years, we would have had the nuclear power plant operating and almost 20% of our energy needs covered by it. When you hold a position of responsibility, you think long-term and do what needs to be done, not what looks good. That is how I have acted throughout my years in public administration. That is how I am acting now,' Bolojan said.

In this context, he announced that on Friday he had signed a decision establishing an interministerial task force to unblock the Bala 2 project, which is intended to ensure the flow rate needed for the Cernavoda units to operate without problems.

'The project includes a series of hydrotechnical works, dredging works and works to ensure navigation safety. According to the project data, carrying out the investment would raise the water level on the Old Danube by more than one metre and almost double its flow rate. The feasibility study was launched 10 years ago. Since 2024, the project has had all the necessary permits and approvals, including a Government Decision approving the technical indicators. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Transport did not consider it a priority and did not fund it. We are prioritising it, unblocking it, reviewing the proposed solutions, updating the prices and securing the funding. The Lower Danube River Administration in Galati will organise the tender for the design and construction works. Realistically, we could complete the works within three years and ensure cooling water for reactors 1 and 2 as well as reactors 3 and 4. Romania needs real, honest solutions, a long-term vision and the truth, not populism and lies. That is the only way we can have a safe and stable energy system,' Bolojan said. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Florea; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)