- Prime Minister Péter Magyar said Hungary came “within millimetres” of having to shut down its nuclear power plant overnight as low water levels in the Danube posed challenges across south-eastern Europe.
- Magyar said that around 1:30 a.m. the Paks Power Plant was a few millimetres from a complete shutdown, but the water level stopped falling and rose 1.5 centimetres by morning; the last turbine was operating safely.
- Energy minister István Kapitány said a number of energy-saving measures lowered consumption and kept the grid secure.
- Businesses made significant adjustments: Lidl changed baking shifts and turned off drink fridges despite temperatures near 40C, while electric car chargers were limited to use until 5pm.
- In Romania, the government celebrated a two-centimetre rise in water levels after a controlled explosion intended to divert the Danube to help cool its Cernavodă nuclear plant.
- The Cernavodă plant manager said the intervention should help keep the plant running in the coming days, with plans to sink old barges to divert more water.
- Temperatures were set to surpass 40C in large parts of Romania again.
Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant faced a critical situation, coming 'within millimetres' of shutdown due to record low water levels in the Danube, as reported by Prime Minister Péter Magyar. The water level had dropped so low that it hindered the plant's cooling capabilities, forcing it to operate at just over 10% capacity.15
At around 1:30 a.m., Magyar noted that the plant was on the brink of a complete shutdown, but a slight rise of 1.5 centimetres by morning allowed the last turbine to continue operating safely. The situation remains precarious as the Danube's low levels continue to threaten energy supplies across south-eastern Europe.2
In response to the crisis, Energy Minister István Kapitány announced that energy-saving measures have been implemented, successfully reducing consumption to maintain grid security. Businesses, including grocery chain Lidl, have adjusted operations, changing baking shifts and turning off drink fridges despite soaring temperatures expected to reach 40C.34
Meanwhile, in Romania, authorities celebrated a two-centimetre rise in water levels following a controlled explosion aimed at diverting the Danube's flow to cool the Cernavodă nuclear plant. Further interventions are planned to ensure continued operation amid the heatwave affecting the region.7
“Magyar said the Paks plant was a few millimetres from shutdown at 1:30 a.m. before water rose 1.5cm, leaving the last turbine operating safely. Lidl turned off drink fridges and limited car chargers to 5pm to save power, while Romania's controlled Danube blast raised levels 2cm for Cernavodă.”
The Guardian
