EC closely monitoring states impacted by Danube low levels, as nuclear energy production is clearly affected

  The European Commission says it currently does not see problems with energy-supply security in the countries affected by the Danube's low water levels, but is closely monitoring the situation in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and the wider region, as reduced river flow will clearly have an impact on nuclear power production along the Danube, spokesperson of the Community's executive body Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said on Tuesday at a press conference."We continue to follow and monitor very closely the situation in Hungary, as well as in Romania, Bulgaria and other countries in the region. The low Danube level will clearly have an impact on nuclear energy production along the river, so this impacts several member states. The European Network of the Transmission System Operators ENTSO-E has mobilised and is in close contact now with the authorities in the impacted countries," Itkonen said when asked about the region's energy crisis and the possibility of setting up an electricity coordination group.She explained that the Commission is ready to convene such a coordination group if needed."And for that need to emerge we obviously want to first have a full picture and visibility of what is happening in the impacted countries, whether there is indeed a need to have such a meeting. We are ready to call it ad hoc as soon as the situation would warrant, but for the time being we are not seeing any security supply issues," the EC official said.Itkonen noted that nuclear power plants already have contingency systems and emergency plans in place and EU states have regional solidarity mechanisms and electricity-exchange arrangements that kick in as soon as the situation so warrants.As the European Commission is currently reviewing the framework for energy-supply security, journalists asked whether the Commission now intends to include nuclear energy in that framework, given the issues nuclear plants face during summer heat and drought.Spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said the EU already addressed such risks in the 2016 'Clean Energy for All Europeans' package, which includes the Electricity Risk-Preparedness Regulation. Member states are already required to factor in climate-related risks, and these elements are integrated into much of the Commission's work, which analyses how climate risks, extreme weather, intentional attacks, fuel shortages, droughts, heatwaves, cyberattacks and other risks are already taken into account into national preparedness plans.In addition, the drought this summer also affects maritime and river transport, Itkonen said, stressing that since 2021 the EC has issued guidelines on adapting infrastructure to climate change. Overall, climate risks and extreme weather have long been embedded into many EU policies on energy, transport and other sectors and will continue to be included in the Commission's future work, the official said, pointing out that, however, this summer has clearly been extreme in highlighting these risks and showing how they materialise.