Hungary is the latest European country to shut down or reduce nuclear power output due to severe heatwaves and critically low river levels.
In a historic first, Hungary’s two gigawatt Paks power plant is expected to halt operations completely this week as the Danube River drops to record low levels. The plant relies on these waters for reactor cooling.
In a Facebook video posted on Sunday (2 August), Hungary’s Prime Minister Peter Magyar said: ”We are facing the most critical five days ahead. Tomorrow, the Paks power plant will not be generating, while the hottest, 40°C days are ahead.”
With Hungary’s water authority projecting that the levels of the Danube will continue to drop amid the heat, Paks, which generates about half of the country's electricity, could remain inactive for weeks.
Magyar said in the video that the decision on when to shut the plant down would be made by the plant's management. He added that “the power grid, our public services and ourselves will all come under...