Romanian army blasts rock to redirect Danube flow toward nuclear power plant

The Romanian army on Monday blasted a rock as part of an operation to redirect more water from the Danube River toward the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, broadcaster Digi24 reported.

The army used 180 kilograms of explosives to dislodge the Parjoaia rock during an underwater demolition operation aimed at increasing the flow of the Danube toward Cernavoda.

Acting Defense Minister Radu Miruta described the intervention as a success.

“180 kilograms of explosives were introduced. (...) Regardless of the final consequences for the Cernavoda power plant in these days, what was achieved by dislodging this rock is something necessary for both navigation and dredging in the future, easing the dredging of the Old Danube branch,” Miruta reportedly said.

He said two barges brought to the site would be loaded in the coming hours and days with as much of the dislodged rock as possible.

“A heavy-duty crane will extract as much of the dislodged rock as it can and further clear the area,” Miruta added.