Key facts
- Ukraine exported 61 GWh of electricity to Hungary in the last week of July.
- Hungary's Paks Nuclear Plant, which supplies half the country's electricity, was temporarily shut down on July 29.
- The shutdown was caused by record low water levels in the Danube River due to a heatwave.
- Ukraine's electricity grid is synchronized with the wider EU grid, allowing for exports.
- The European Commission assesses the energy supply situation as stable.
Ukraine has temporarily become a net exporter of electricity to Hungary, supplying 61 gigawatt hours in the last week of July. This unusual flow occurred as Hungary's sole nuclear power plant, the Paks plant, was forced to shut down on July 29 due to a severe heatwave. Record low water levels in the Danube River, which is crucial for cooling the plant's reactors, reached only 30 centimeters in Budapest, leading to the unprecedented closure. The Paks plant normally provides half of Hungary's electricity. Neighboring countries, including Ukraine, have stepped in to fill the shortfall. Ukraine, which has historically been a net importer of electricity from Hungary due to Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure, can now export power thanks to its grid's synchronization with the wider EU network since 2022. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar tweeted that the Paks plant is beginning to restart as river levels recover, but noted that voluntary electricity consumption reductions would still be needed on hot days. A European Commission spokesperson confirmed that neighboring countries can cover production shortfalls caused by the heatwave and stated that the current energy supply situation is stable with no immediate security concerns.