Water shortage in the Danube: Hungary shuts down Paks nuclear power plant completely

Hungary has shut down its sole nuclear power plant, Paks, due to severe water shortages along the Danube River, according to government officials. The decision comes after prolonged heatwaves and low river levels have made cooling the facility impossible. Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the complete shutdown of the plant on Friday, marking the first time in its nearly 40-year history that all four reactor blocks have been taken offline. The move follows a gradual reduction in output over recent days, with production already cut back significantly before the final shutdown. The Paks Nuclear Power Plant, located 100 kilometers south of Budapest, relies on the Danube River for cooling. Water levels in the river dropped to critical lows, with temperatures recorded at 25 degrees Celsius near the plant during the June heatwave. This led to initial reductions in electricity generation. Now, with conditions worsening, the plant can no longer operate safely. According to Magyar, the shutdown is unavoidable, though he emphasized there is no immediate safety risk. The plant generates nearly half of Hungary’s total electricity, making the disruption significant for the country's energy supply. In addition to the nuclear plant, other infrastructure is also suffering. Shipping on the Danube has come to a standstill, with vessels and barges unable to navigate the reduced water levels. In the town of Szentendre, north of Budapest, thousands of residents face a lack of drinking water. Officials warn that the situation could worsen further, as temperatures are expected to remain above 40 degrees Celsius for several more days, with little to no rainfall anticipated in the coming weeks. Environment Minister László Gajdos warned that the region must prepare for long-term water scarcity, stating that no rain is expected in the catchment areas of the Danube and the Tisza rivers. To mitigate the impact, the Hungarian government has called for voluntary reductions in energy consumption from both industry and households. While no legal restrictions have been imposed yet, ministers are urging conservation efforts. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Orbán is set to contact neighboring countries to seek solutions for the crisis. Similar issues have emerged in other regions, including parts of Bulgaria, where a stranded cruise ship had to be evacuated earlier this week due to dangerously low water levels. The effects of the water shortage extend beyond Hungary. In Austria, eleven hydroelectric plants along the Danube are producing far less electricity than usual for this time of year. Operators say the shortfall is being partially offset by alternative sources such as solar power, pumped storage facilities, and gas-fired generators. Meanwhile, Romania has also been forced to reduce operations at its Cernavodă nuclear power plant, with one of two reactors currently offline. A second reactor might need to be shut down if the Danube’s water level continues to decline. Environmental groups have used the situation to highlight growing concerns about the reliability of nuclear power in the context of climate change. The Austrian environmental organization Global 2000 described the incidents as evidence that the climate crisis is increasingly posing risks to the security and availability of nuclear energy. It urged the Hungarian government to reconsider plans to expand the Paks plant, which is partly funded by Russia, adding two additional reactor blocks. Such expansion would increase reliance on a resource, water, that is becoming increasingly scarce in the region. As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on managing the immediate consequences of the power outage and water shortages. With no relief in sight from the weather, authorities are working to ensure that essential services continue to function while exploring long-term strategies to address the underlying causes of the crisis.