PRESS RELEASE – November 9, 2026

The disconnection was carried out in accordance with procedures, with no impact on nuclear safety.

Societatea Națională Nuclearelectrica S.A. (SNN) announces that Unit 1 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant was disconnected from the National Energy System (SEN) on the evening of November 9, 2026, as a result of a malfunction in the conventional part of Unit 1.

The disconnection was carried out in strict accordance with operating procedures and had no impact on nuclear safety, personnel, or the environment.

Repair work is underway

Specialists at CNE Cernavodă are working continuously to resolve the malfunction, with the priority being to restart Unit 1 and reconnect it to the National Power System (SEN) as soon as possible. All interventions are being carried out in accordance with the plant’s applicable procedures, under conditions of complete safety for the facility, personnel, and the environment.

At the same time, plant teams are carrying out reconnection procedures for Units 1 and 2, with the aim of reconnecting them to the National Energy System as soon as possible.

Measures at the Technical Management Level

To strengthen the technical activities that ensure the availability of equipment necessary for operations, SNN management has decided to replace the Technical Director of Cernavodă NPP, effective December 1, 2026. Additionally, all maintenance activities will be evaluated in accordance with CNE Cernavodă procedures and international reference standards.

Mihai Gioară, CEO of Nuclearelectrica: “This year, in addition to the challenges posed by severe weather conditions, Cernavodă NPP faced temporary, unplanned outages caused by malfunctions in the auxiliary technical systems. All protection systems functioned flawlessly, and nuclear safety was not compromised at any time. However, the frequency of these outages fell below the standards of excellence we have set for ourselves. Operating to the highest international standards requires impeccable rigor, including in the area of technical support activities. To this end, we have decided to appoint a new Technical Director at Cernavodă NPP and to implement an operational remediation plan. This includes an accelerated review of maintenance procedures and the strict alignment of processes with best practices in the international nuclear industry. This leadership change reflects the maturity and capacity of our organization to take decisive action to maintain a high-capacity factor and ensure long-term energy stability.”

The root cause of the event will be analyzed in detail and presented in a subsequent report.