Hungary’s sole nuclear power plant is set to close for the first time in its history due to a severe drought causing extremely low water levels in the Danube River. The country’s Prime Minister, Peter Magyar, warned of potential blackouts, labeling the upcoming days as critical. The Paks nuclear plant, situated approximately 50 miles south of Budapest, relies on Danube water for cooling its reactors and currently operates at a reduced capacity.
With the Danube drying up amidst the ongoing drought, the Paks plant, responsible for half of Hungary’s electricity generation, experienced a significant drop in its power output last Sunday. Magyar expressed concerns about a possible energy crisis starting from Monday and emphasized the need for collective efforts to address the situation.
In a video shared on Facebook, the Prime Minister highlighted the challenges ahead, indicating that further reductions in output are expected, with a potential complete shutdown by Tuesday or Wednesday. Despite the unprecedented move, Magyar reassured the public of the safety measures in place to mitigate any risks to both the population and the environment.
The critical situation in Hungary is exacerbated by the prevailing drought across Europe, with Central Europe also facing water scarcity and extreme heatwaves. Forecasts do not anticipate an increase in Danube water levels in the near future, posing a prolonged challenge for the region.
To stabilize the energy supply, the Hungarian government has urged households and businesses to reduce energy consumption voluntarily, particularly during peak demand hours. Additionally, water usage restrictions have been imposed in over 100 cities and villages, including areas surrounding Budapest.
The escalating crisis prompted the suspension of parliamentary sessions to conserve energy, with potential economic impacts estimated between 100bn to 200bn forints (£235m to £470m) due to increased energy imports. The European Commission is closely monitoring the situation and may convene an emergency meeting to address the energy challenges in Hungary.
The Danube crisis has also affected other European countries, with Romania resorting to explosives to divert water towards its Cernavoda nuclear power plant due to dangerously low river levels caused by the heatwave. The situation underscores the vulnerability of energy infrastructure to climate-related adversities in the region.
