Hungary to Shut Down Paks Nuclear Plant Due to Record Low Danube Water Levels

Hungary is shutting down its sole nuclear power plant, Paks, for the first time in 44 years of operation. Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced that the facility must be powered down because record low water levels on the Danube River have made it impossible to obtain sufficient cooling water for the reactors. The plant, which consists of four Soviet built reactors and typically provides about 40 percent of Hungary's electricity, had already been operating at a fraction of its normal capacity before the full shutdown. Prime Minister Magyar warned that the plant could remain idled for several weeks.

To stabilize the power grid, the Hungarian government is implementing several emergency measures. These include a decree requiring large industrial consumers to reduce electricity usage, with penalties for those who fail to meet targets. Other measures include suspending rail cargo services for five hours each afternoon starting Monday, ordering public sector employees to work from home for the first three days of the week, and turning off non essential lighting on public buildings. Prime Minister Magyar stated that private households would be the last to face restrictions.

An additional complication arose when a malfunction occurred at the Szazhalombatta gas fired power plant, Hungary's largest such facility, though some of that lost capacity was later restored. Mark Radnai, vice chairman of the Tisza party, noted that the energy crisis could cost the country between 100 billion and 200 billion forints due to the rising cost of imported electricity. Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed solidarity and offered assistance to Hungary during the crisis.

The drought affecting Hungary is part of a broader regional trend. Romania has already shut down one reactor at the Cernavoda plant and announced the shutdown of a second, while France also deactivated reactors this week due to high temperatures. While center left sources frame the event as a consequence of climate change and a broader environmental crisis, center right coverage focuses more on the immediate economic impact and the logistical challenges of the energy shortage.