Hungary has ordered a complete shutdown of its only nuclear power plant after the Danube River fell to record-low levels, leaving intake pumps unable to draw enough water to cool its four reactors.The Paks Nuclear Power Plant, about 50 miles south of Budapest, produces nearly half of Hungary’s electricity. Its closure leaves the country facing a major power shortage during an intense summer heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach 40°C.According to Reuters and comments made at the plant, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said the 2-gigawatt Soviet-built facility had already reduced output to around 10% of its normal capacity before shutting down completely.
Record-low river levels force shutdown
Water levels in the Danube at Paks are expected to fall to negative 144 centimetres, breaking the previous record of negative 98 centimetres set in 2018. A negative gauge reading means the river has dropped below the measuring station’s reference level.Magyar said a reading of negative 134 centimetres automatically requires the plant to shut down to meet safety rules.“We are facing the most critical five days ahead,” Magyar said in a video posted on Facebook on Sunday. “Tomorrow, the Paks power plant will not be generating, while the hottest, 40-degree (Celsius, 104 Fahrenheit) days are ahead.”Speaking to reporters at the plant, Magyar said the shutdown does not pose any safety risks. However, he warned that the country’s power grid and public services would face heavy pressure. He also said the plant could remain offline for several weeks because no significant rainfall is expected across the Danube basin.Government data shows that drought conditions across Central Europe have also disrupted river transport, hurt tourism, and forced more than 100 Hungarian towns and cities to introduce water-use restrictions.
Emergency conservation and rising power costs
To reduce pressure on the electricity grid, the government has asked households, businesses, and public institutions to cut electricity use during peak demand between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.Large industrial users have already started reducing consumption. Energy company MOL agreed to lower its daily electricity use by 65 megawatt-hours, equal to about a 40% cut from its normal demand.The government is also considering mandatory electricity limits for major industrial companies. To reduce state energy use, parliamentary sessions scheduled for Monday and Tuesday were cancelled, while decorative lighting on government buildings was switched off.With its only nuclear power plant offline, Hungary will have to rely on costly electricity imports from neighbouring countries. Mark Radnai, vice chairman of Magyar’s Tisza Party, said on Facebook that emergency power purchases could cost the Hungarian economy between 100 billion and 200 billion forints (about $315 million to $630 million).
Climate pressure on nuclear cooling systems
Nuclear reactors need a steady supply of river water to carry off excess heat, but rising temperatures and longer dry spells are making those rivers shallower and warmer.Paks is far from an isolated case. Over recent summers, nuclear operators in France, Germany, and Switzerland have had to dial back power generation or bring reactors offline altogether. In many cases, environmental regulations force these cutbacks to prevent discharging boiling water back into parched rivers, which would devastate local aquatic ecosystems.
First complete shutdown in four decades
The shutdown marks the first time in more than 40 years that the entire Paks nuclear facility has stopped producing electricity. The plant has operated since the 1980s and has remained one of Hungary’s most important energy assets, supplying around half of the country’s electricity during normal operation.Officials said Hungary can technically replace some of the lost generation through electricity imports, as the country has access to several thousand megawatts of import capacity. However, buying power during a regional heatwave is expected to be expensive because neighbouring countries are also facing high demand.The crisis has also pushed the government to consider wider emergency measures. Authorities have discussed reducing electricity use among major industrial customers and limiting some activities during periods of peak demand. Additional steps reported include reducing non-essential public lighting, adjusting transport operations, and encouraging workplaces to lower energy consumption.The shutdown has raised concerns about Hungary’s dependence on a single large power source. While Paks provides reliable low-carbon electricity under normal conditions, the incident has shown how extreme weather can create sudden pressure on national energy systems. The government now faces the challenge of maintaining supply during the heatwave while managing higher costs from emergency electricity purchases.
