Key facts
- Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant faces a complete shutdown.
- The shutdown is caused by record low water levels in the Danube River.
- The Paks plant requires Danube water for cooling.
- Current Danube water levels are too low for the plant's suction nozzles.
- The Paks plant supplies nearly half of Hungary's electricity.
Hungary's sole nuclear power plant, Paks, is on the verge of a complete shutdown due to unprecedentedly low water levels in the Danube River. The plant's operational capacity is directly tied to its ability to draw water from the Danube for cooling purposes. Current water levels have fallen so low that the plant's suction nozzles are unable to reach the water, necessitating a halt in operations. This situation poses a significant threat to Hungary's energy security, as the Paks plant is responsible for supplying nearly half of the country's total electricity. The reliance on river water for cooling underscores the vulnerability of essential infrastructure to environmental changes, particularly those driven by climate change leading to prolonged droughts and reduced water flow in major rivers.