Hungary's nuclear plant may shut down due to low Danube levels

Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant may be forced to shut down after water levels in the Danube fell to a record low. The plant, which has an output of 2,000 MW, supplies nearly half of the country’s electricity.

Speaking at a news conference in Budapest alongside his Bavarian counterpart, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said the low water levels meant Paks may face a gradual, scheduled shutdown.

“It seems, at this point, that the complete shutdown of the Paks power plant could take place today, or perhaps tomorrow,” Magyar said.

He added that the Dunamenti Power Plant, another energy provider, had already been taken offline after a malfunction, cutting a further 400 MW from the grid. Repairs were underway, he said, and the plant was expected to resume operations later on Thursday.

Magyar said Hungary’s energy supply remained fully secured for both businesses and households, noting that the country’s import infrastructure could handle between 3,600 MW and 3,800 MW.

Under normal conditions, Paks draws water from the Danube to cool its reactors. In recent years, the plant has repeatedly had to reduce output during the summer because of high water temperatures and low river levels. However, it has never previously shut down entirely.

Paks uses Russian-built technology, and the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán, agreed with Moscow to expand the plant to safeguard the country’s energy supply.

Construction began in 2026. Since taking office following April’s election, Magyar has given no update on the project’s status.

The Hungarian government has begun drawing up contingency plans to secure energy supplies in the event the drought worsens. Officials are preparing a crisis plan to identify which large public-sector and industrial consumers would need to temporarily cut their consumption if necessary.

Magyar stressed that the plan would not affect community service providers, healthcare facilities or social institutions, and would apply only to large, energy-intensive industrial sites.

Romania announced the shutdown of both of its nuclear reactors on 29 July, also due to the low water levels at the Danube.

This week, a record low was registered at the Danube due to the heatwave. The Danube’s gauge level stood at 23 centimetres on Wednesday.

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