Key facts
- Record low water levels have been recorded on the Danube River due to drought.
- Navigation on the Danube River is severely restricted.
- A state of heightened alert for drought has been declared in Hungary.
- Shipwrecks and centuries-old projectiles have been exposed by the low water levels.
- A potential catapult stone was among the items revealed.
- Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant faces a complete shutdown.
- The Paks plant requires Danube water for cooling.
- Current water levels are too low for the plant's suction nozzles to reach.
- The Paks plant supplies nearly half of Hungary's power.
- The low water levels pose a threat to Hungary's electricity supply.
Drought conditions have led to record low water levels on the Danube River, causing a cascade of severe impacts. Navigation on the river is now severely restricted, and Hungary has declared a state of heightened alert for drought. The receding waters have also exposed historical remnants, including shipwrecks and centuries-old projectiles, with one potential catapult stone being identified.
The most critical consequence is the impending shutdown of Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant, the country's sole nuclear facility. The plant relies on Danube water for cooling, and current water levels have fallen below the intake capacity of its suction nozzles. This shutdown threatens to disrupt nearly half of Hungary's electricity supply, highlighting the plant's significant role in the national energy infrastructure.