MOSCOW, August 3. /TASS/. The military in Romania used approximately 180 kg of explosives to destroy an underwater rock in the shallow Danube River to prevent the shutdown of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, Bloomberg reported.

Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar stated that the Paks Nuclear Power Plant could operate until "Monday or Tuesday" at its current reduced capacity, Reuters reported.

Serbian Prime Minister Duro Macut noted that the situation in the country's energy sector is difficult due to low power generation from hydroelectric power plants on the Danube.

TASS has compiled the main information on the situation.

- Due to a severe drought, the Danube's water level has dropped to a 30-year low of 1,700 cubic meters per second.

- On August 1, Sorin Rindasu, Deputy Director of the National Administration of Apele Romane, stated that the Danube's water level was falling at a rate of approximately 2-3 cm per day.

- The Danube's water level is dropping due to drought, hot weather and lack of precipitation in Central and Eastern European countries.

- The Slovak Academy of Sciences reported that the Danube recorded its lowest instantaneous flow of 750 cubic meters per second since record keeping began in 1876.

- In Bratislava, the water level dropped to 216 cm.

- Outside the Slovak capital, water levels have dropped to 66 cm in places where the river was typically 250 cm deep.

- The Romanian military used approximately 180 kg of explosives to destroy an underwater rock in the shallow Danube River, Bloomberg reported.

- This was necessary to prevent the Cernavoda nuclear power plant from shutting down.

- According to Romanian Acting Defense Minister Radu Miruta, as quoted by the publication, the main purpose of blowing up the rock was to redirect water into the main channel feeding the power plant and prevent a reactor shutdown.

- He noted that the situation is close to reaching the minimum water level necessary for the safe cooling of nuclear equipment.

- The Cernavoda nuclear power plant is Romania's only nuclear power plant, generating approximately 20% of the country's electricity.

- The plant's first reactor was shut down on July 28.

- Magyar said the Paks Nuclear Power Plant could operate until "Monday or Tuesday" at its current reduced power level, Reuters reported.

- As the agency notes, the plant is expected to completely shut down later this week due to record-low Danube water levels.

- Water from the river is being used to cool the reactors.

- Earlier Reuters reported that Paks is operating at just over 10% of its full capacity.

- The day before, Magyar stated that the country faces a critical period over the next five days due to heat waves and a complete shutdown of the Paks NPP.

- The plant was initially scheduled to suspend operations on August 3.

- Shipping on the Danube in Serbia will cease in a few days due to low water levels, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on August 2.

- According to him, the supply of raw materials to the oil refinery in the city of Pancevo is also under threat.

- Serbian Prime Minister Duro Macut stated that the situation in the country's energy sector is difficult due to low electricity generation from hydroelectric power plants on the Danube.

- Serbian citizens have been urged to conserve electricity.

- Ship passage through locks on the shallow Danube has been restricted in Slovakia, the Secretariat of the state-owned Slovak Water Management Company told TASS on August 2.

- They noted that this is a temporary measure.

- This allows for a reduction in water outflow at hydraulic structures that facilitate navigation on the Danube, which has been particularly shallow this summer.