Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar Warns of Looming Energy Crisis Due to Paks Nuclear Plant Shutdown
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar warned that the country could face a critical energy crisis as early as next week. The crisis is driven by the complete shutdown of the Paks nuclear power plant, which provides nearly half of Hungary's energy needs, for the first time in 42 years. The shutdown was necessitated by record-low water levels in the River Danube, which serves as the cooling source for the reactors. Magyar stated that the country will lose 2,000 megawatts of production from Monday, coinciding with a period of high demand due to an ongoing heatwave. To mitigate the impact, the government has urged the public and businesses to reduce energy consumption during peak hours between 5pm and 00pm. The administration has also developed an emergency plan to limit industrial consumption on a rotational basis. While the European Commission is monitoring the situation, experts suggest that the low water levels are a result of climate change. The Danube's low flow has also affected shipping and revealed archaeological finds in neighboring countries.