A severe European drought has driven the River Danube to a record low, crippling Hungary’s only nuclear power plant and triggering a major energy crisis. The 2-gigawatt Paks facility, which typically generates about half of the country’s electricity, was running at just over 10% capacity after water levels fell so drastically that the plant’s cooling suction nozzles could no longer reach the river. Prime Minister Péter Magyar warned that the country faces its „most critical five days” as the plant is forced into an „unavoidable” shutdown during peak summer heat, with temperatures forecast to hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
The water crisis has exposed relics of the past, including a sunken Nazi ship from World War II that emerged from the riverbed near Prahovo, Serbia, amidst the blistering heatwave. An estimated 200 vessels, including cargo ships and barges, lie at the bottom of the Danube, posing significant risks to commercial navigation. The low water levels have also disrupted shipping and tourism, triggered water-use restrictions in over 100 Hungarian cities and villages, and threaten to cost the country between 100 billion and 200 billion forints ($235 million to $471 million) due to surging electricity import prices.
The heatwave has simultaneously exacerbated devastating wildfires across Europe, with Greece battling major blazes near Athens that have forced thousands of evacuations. A tragic midair collision between two firefighting helicopters killed two crew members, while authorities arrested two individuals on felony arson charges for allegedly sparking the fire through a faulty power line. The European Commission reports that nearly half a million hectares have been burned this year alone, releasing approximately 20 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
In France, the country’s largest wildfire has forced 224,000 people to flee the Gironde region in what may be the largest civilian evacuation outside wartime, with nearly 3,000 firefighters deployed against the megafire. Together, fires across France and Spain have driven roughly a third of a million people from their homes. Hungary’s government has appealed for voluntary power cuts, with more than 300 companies including MOL, Samsung SDI, Audi, and Denso reducing demand by 400 MW, though mandatory restrictions may be imposed if conditions worsen. Prime Minister Magyar cautioned that the Paks plant could remain idle for weeks, warning that „the power grid, our public services and ourselves will all come under enormous strain.”
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