Drought Threatens Total Shutdown of Hungary's Paks Nuclear Plant
Budapest (ANTARA) - A drought brought on by an extreme heatwave has lowered the water level of the River Danube and threatened a complete halt to operations at the Paks nuclear power plant, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Sunday (2 August) local time.
Speaking to the local commercial television channel RTL, Magyar warned that the Paks plant could potentially be out of operation for more than a month. He said the last turbine still running at the 2,000 MW facility would likely be shut down either on Sunday (2 August) evening or Monday (3 August) local time.
A total halt to power generation at Paks, which contributes nearly half of Hungary’s domestic electricity production, would be the first complete operational shutdown in the plant’s 44-year history.
Magyar previously explained on social media that strict nuclear safety regulations required the shutdown because river water levels had reached a record low, affecting the availability of water for the cooling system. He assured the public that nuclear safety remained fully guaranteed, with around 50 water management specialists deployed to help Paks personnel keep the cooling system operating.
This unprecedented energy crisis has struck Hungary as the country braces for temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above during “the five most critical days”, placing enormous strain on the national electricity grid.
The Hungarian government has introduced emergency measures to maintain grid stability. Under a decree that came into effect on Saturday (1 August), mandatory reductions in electricity consumption can be imposed on large industrial consumers if necessary.
However, Magyar stressed that voluntary savings efforts by businesses and the public have so far helped avoid mandatory restrictions. Several major companies, including MOL, Audi and Gedeon Richter, have committed to significantly reducing their consumption.
Nearly 300 companies committed to voluntary reductions on Monday, along with a number of state-owned enterprises, most local councils, civil society groups and churches, he said.
To save electricity, decorative lighting at Budapest’s iconic landmarks, including the Hungarian Parliament Building, Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge, was switched off on Sunday (2 August) evening.
Additional measures include suspending most rail freight services between 5pm and 10pm from Monday, putting reserve power generation units on standby, and maximising electricity imports.
“If Hungary gets through these five most critical days, temperatures are expected to fall by 5 to 7 degrees Celsius,” Magyar said, adding that restrictions on household electricity use remained an absolute last resort to keep the system stable.