Hungary is facing a critical five-day period as the country’s sole nuclear power plant is set to shut down due to the drying out of the Danube river. The Paks power plant, which runs four Russian-built reactors, was operating at just over 10% of its total capacity on Sunday.
Drought and Heatwave
The water level of the Danube river, which flows from Germany to the Black Sea, has fallen to a record low, forcing the shutdown of the power plant. The Hungarian government has warned that the plant could remain idle for weeks, leading to a surge in the price of imported electricity.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar has called on companies, public institutions, local governments, and households to significantly reduce or reschedule electricity use during evening peak hours. The government is also considering applying mandatory electricity use restrictions for large companies.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
