Drying Danube Threatens Nuclear Power Supply in Hungary and Romania
A prolonged spell of hot, dry weather has pushed the Danube River and other waterways in Central and Eastern Europe to record-low water levels, triggering power shortages across the region.In Hungary, authorities narrowly avoided shutting down the country’s only nuclear power plant, located at Paks, but were forced to significantly cut its output as falling…
A prolonged spell of hot, dry weather has pushed the Danube River and other waterways in Central and Eastern Europe to record-low water levels, triggering power shortages across the region.
In Hungary, authorities narrowly avoided shutting down the country’s only nuclear power plant, located at Paks, but were forced to significantly cut its output as falling river levels reduced the water available for cooling reactor systems. Romania is facing similar pressures on its nuclear power generation.
Nuclear plants rely on large volumes of river water to cool their reactors, and sharply reduced flow — combined with rising water temperatures — limits how much power such plants can safely produce. Energy officials in the region are monitoring the situation closely as the dry spell continues, amid concerns over strained electricity supplies during peak summer demand.
