August 12, 2026
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 12.08.2026, 13:55
ELECTRICITY The European Commission warns that, although there are no short-term supply risks, the situation in the European electricity system remains problematic next week, due to drought and high temperatures. The energy output has decreased in some countries due to low water flows, and examples include Romania and Hungary. The Commission says that the EU market and coordination between states allow the transfer of energy to areas where it is needed, and the high output of solar energy has reduced pressure on the system during the day. Romania has asked the European Commission and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity to assess the available production capacities and the capacity of electricity systems in neighbouring states to provide support in case the situation at regional level deteriorates further. On Thursday, the controlled shutdown Reactor 2 of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant begins. The Danube flow has dropped below 1,400 cubic meters per second, so the plant can no longer operate safely.
INFLATION The year-on-year inflation rate in Romania fell from 10.42% in June to 8.16% in July, after electricity price surges slowed down compared to last year when the price cap was removed. It is the biggest drop in the last 12 months, according to the National Statistics Institute. However, Romanians continue to feel the price rises from one month to the next, even if more moderate. For example, according to INS data, compared to last summer service prices are almost 14% higher, and rents have risen by over 42%. Non-food prices have increased by 8%, driven up mainly by fuel prices, as diesel has become more expensive by over 30%. Foodstuff prices are higher by 5% in average, but there is also good news: potatoes and fresh fruit are 13% cheaper than last year. The inflation decrease is an important sign that economic stabilisation measures are starting to produce effects, even in a complicated international context, the Senate speaker Mircea Abrudean posted on social media. “In recent months, Romania has been facing major challenges: the energy crisis, tensions in the Middle East and regional uncertainties. The fact that Fitch and Moody’s have maintained the country’s rating, that the budget deficit is decreasing, that inflation continues to decline, and the interest rates that influence Romanians’ borrowing costs are also going down shows that Romania is starting to regain the trust of the markets and investors,” the Romanian official added.
DRONES Two Gerbera drones drifting in the Black Sea, near the Romanian Neptun Deep natural gas exploration perimeter, were destroyed on Tuesday by Romanian Navy divers, the defence ministry announced. The systems were reported in Romania’s exclusive economic zone, approx. 90 nautical miles from the port city of Constanta by a civilian ship carrying out work in the area. Kyiv said the devices did not belong to Ukraine.
ECLIPSE Spain prepares for a total solar eclipse that will briefly plunge the north of the country into darkness. Over 500,000 foreign tourists have come to Spain specifically to watch the eclipse. The phenomenon will be partly visible in Romania as well, the Bucharest Astronomical Observatory announced, but only in the north, west and centre of the country. A total eclipse of the Sun will occur in a year’s time, on August 7, 2027, and another partial one in January 2028. Such a sequence has not happened for 3,000 years, experts say. On August 11, 1999, a total solar eclipse could be seen from Romania, with the global mximum near Râmnicu Vâlcea (south).
SWIMMING The Romanian swimmer David Popovici, an Olympic, world and European champion, takes part tonight in the 100-metre freestyle final of the European Swimming Championships in Paris. He qualified on Tuesday with the best time in the semis, 46.72 seconds, a competition record. David Popovici holds two consecutive European titles in the 100 m freestyle, won in Rome in 2022 and in Belgrade in 2024. Romania has 11 athletes taking part in the European Swimming Championships in the French capital city. On Saturday, Cătălin Preda won the gold medal in the 20-m high dive event. (AMP)
