Hungary plans to shut down only nuclear power plant amid drought
Hungary is shutting down its only nuclear power plant, Paks, due to record-low water levels in the Danube River caused by a severe drought. The plant, which provides nearly half of the nation's electricity, cannot operate safely without sufficient cooling water.
Why it matters
The shutdown illustrates the critical vulnerability of energy infrastructure to climate change-induced extreme weather events.
The plant that supplies nearly half of Hungary’s electricity cannot operate with Danube at record lows.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Hungary's Prime Minister Peter Magyar speaks during a news conference at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant [Kummer/Getty] By AP and Reuters Published On 2 Aug 2026 2 Aug 2026 BUDAPEST, Hungary – Hungary has announced it will shut down its only nuclear power plant after record-low levels on the Danube River reduced the water available for cooling its reactors.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar said the Paks Nuclear Power Plant in central Hungary would be powered down on Sunday, the first full shutdown in its 44-year history. The plant supplies nearly half of Hungary’s electricity.
Magyar said output had fallen to 965 megawatts on Friday and to 240 overnight, far below the normal 2,000.
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