Hungary PM announces closure of nuclear plant due to heatwave
Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant is shutting down due to record-low water levels in the Danube river caused by an extreme heatwave. This is the first time the plant has halted operations in 44 years, exacerbating the country's energy crisis.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure to climate change and extreme weather events.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced on Sunday (August 1, 2026) the shutdown of the country's sole nuclear power plant after record-low water levels in the Danube river forced its first halt in 44 years.
The move marks the latest stage in an energy crisis triggered by prolonged drought and extreme heat across Europe.
The nuclear plant in Paks, south of Budapest — normally providing around a third of the central European country's electricity needs — is cooled by water pumped from the Danube river, which has dropped to record low levels due to lack of rain and successive heatwaves since May.
"Due to the further drop in the Danube's water level, one of the last two generating units at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant will be shut down at 1:30 a.m.," Magyar posted on X.
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