Romania is racing to sink four barges laden with rock into the Danube River in an attempt to redirect water downstream toward the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, buying more time before its second reactor is likely forced offline due to record-low water levels. Extreme heatwaves and low rainfall across the region have left the Danube at record lows over the past week, forcing the shutdown of a reactor at the state-owned plant last week. The plant accounts for about 20% of the country's electricity generation when fully operational and uses river water to cool its reactors.