Governments across Central and Eastern Europe are implementing electricity conservation measures to avert an energy crisis as critically low water levels on the Danube River push power plants to the brink of shutdown. Persistent drought and extreme heat waves have reduced Europe's second-largest river to historic lows, with levels in Budapest falling to approximately 10 centimeters (4 inches) on Monday, far below the previous record of 33 centimeters (13 inches) set in 2018.
The forecast offers little relief, with no significant rainfall expected in the coming days or weeks. As a renewed heat wave brings daytime highs above 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit), electricity and water consumption are rising.
Paks Nuclear Plant at Risk
Hungary's sole nuclear power plant, the Soviet-built Paks facility, is nearing a complete shutdown for the first time in its 44-year operational history. The plant, which relies on Danube water for reactor cooling, was producing only 240 megawatts on Monday, a significant reduction from its usual 2,000 megawatts, due to the sequential powering down of its four reactors. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that engineers had managed to keep the final operating turbine running temporarily, avoiding an expected shutdown over the weekend. However, a full power-down is anticipated by Tuesday or Wednesday.
The Paks plant accounts for nearly half of Hungary's electricity production and about one-third of its consumption. The country has been relying on regional electricity imports and renewable sources to compensate for the deficit.
Last week, the Hungarian government requested that major industrial users curb their electricity consumption and urged households to voluntarily save power during peak demand hours between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Additionally, electric freight trains will be restricted from running during these peak times, a measure expected to conserve an estimated 70 to 90 megawatt-hours of electricity daily.
While initially voluntary, the government issued a decree on Saturday enabling mandatory conservation for large industrial or commercial consumers. Magyar reported on Monday that these efforts had reduced electricity usage by 700 megawatts the previous day.
Impact on Neighboring Countries
Neighboring countries are also experiencing severe disruptions. Romania's military used explosives to clear rocks near the Bala Canal in an effort to redirect water into the Danube's main channel towards the Cernavoda nuclear power plant. The Danube's water flow in Romania has dropped to 1,500 cubic meters per second, less than a third of its average for July. One reactor at the Cernavoda plant has already been shut down, and it is operating at roughly half its normal capacity. Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan declared a nationwide state of alert in the energy sector, warning that the low Danube levels threatened the shutdown of Cernavoda's second reactor and appealing for voluntary electricity usage limits during peak evening hours.
In Serbia, record-low Danube levels have reduced the output of the country's main hydroelectric plant to just 20% of its capacity. Prime Minister Djuro Macut convened an emergency meeting to address the energy situation, urging residents to minimize the use of high-consumption appliances like air conditioners. He described the situation as "serious and demanding."