Hungary to shut Paks nuclear plant as Danube water hits record low

Budapest,UPDATED: Jul 31, 2026 21:44 IST

Hungary's only nuclear power plant is set to shut down for the first time in its 44-year history as record-low water levels on the Danube River disrupt its cooling operations, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Friday. He said the plant may remain offline for several weeks as the river is expected to keep receding.

The Paks nuclear plant, which produces nearly half of Hungary's electricity, is already operating at less than half its normal capacity. Magyar said output would be reduced further later on Friday and the entire plant would most likely be powered down by Tuesday or Wednesday, while stressing that the shutdown can be carried out safely and poses no risk to the public or the environment.

The plant, located about 90 kilometres south of Budapest, is currently generating 965 megawatts of electricity against its usual 2,000 megawatts. It uses water from the Danube to cool its reactors, but the exceptionally low river level has made it difficult for pumps to bring in enough water.

Hungary and much of Central Europe have been facing a prolonged drought in recent months, affecting tourism, agriculture and industry. Water levels on the Danube are not expected to rise in the coming days or weeks as no significant rainfall is forecast.

Magyar said the Danube's water level has risen only three times in August over the past 20 years. He added that the level at Paks could fall to as low as negative 144 centimetres, below the previous record of negative 98 centimetres set in 2018. He said a reading of negative 134 centimetres would require the plant to be fully powered down. A negative reading means the river has fallen below the gauge's zero reference level, not that the river is empty.

The government has asked large energy-consuming companies to voluntarily reduce their power use to help stabilise supply, especially during peak hours between 5 pm and 10 pm. Magyar said energy conglomerate MOL had agreed to cut its electricity consumption by 65 megawatt-hours, or 40 per cent of its normal use. He also said his party had recommended suspending parliamentary sessions scheduled for Monday and Tuesday to conserve energy, and ordered all state institutions to switch off decorative lighting by Monday.

The expected shutdown of the Soviet-built, four-reactor Paks plant marks an unprecedented step for Hungary's energy system, as authorities respond to worsening drought conditions and falling water levels on the Danube.

With PTI Inputs

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