Heatwave in Europe: Hungary to Shut Down Nuclear Power Plant

Hungary’s only nuclear power plant will be shut down next week due to low water levels in the Danube River. Prime Minister Peter Magyar stated that Central Europe is facing the latest heatwave in a series of extreme weather events. According to AFP, the nuclear plant in Paks, south of Budapest, supplies approximately 40 per cent of Hungary’s annual electricity needs. The plant’s operator, which manages four reactors using Soviet-era technology and relies on water from the Danube for cooling, had previously warned that a shutdown was ‘unavoidable’. ‘According to current calculations… this could happen on Tuesday or Wednesday,’ Magyar said during a press conference at the plant site. The facility has already been reducing its production over recent days. The water level of the Danube has dropped to record lows in several regions due to prolonged lack of rainfall and consecutive heatwaves since May. Romania has previously shut down one of its nuclear reactors for the same reason and has announced plans to close a second reactor. The shutdown of the plant is one of the impacts of this record-breaking period of heat, as several countries take measures to reduce fire risks and alleviate pressure on water and energy networks.