Hungary's only nuclear power plant may face a full shutdown for the first time in its 44-year history [1].
This potential outage threatens the stability of the national energy supply, as the Paks plant serves as a critical pillar of the country's electricity infrastructure. A complete shutdown would leave the government scrambling for alternative energy sources during a period of extreme heat.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar said Friday that the facility is bracing for the shutdown due to unprecedented conditions on the Danube River. A prolonged heatwave has caused water levels to drop to record lows, leaving the plant with insufficient water to cool its reactors [2].
The Paks plant, located approximately 90 km [1] south of Budapest, has already seen its output drop significantly. Current output has fallen to 965 megawatts [3], which is less than half of its normal 2,000 megawatt capacity [3].
The crisis is driven by severe hydrological deficits. On July 28, 2026, the Danube water gauge in Budapest recorded a level of 12.2 inches [4]. This low level prevents the plant from drawing the volume of water necessary to maintain safe operating temperatures for the reactors.
Government officials are monitoring the situation closely as the heatwave continues. If water levels do not recover, the facility may be forced offline entirely to prevent equipment damage or safety failures. The plant has operated continuously since its inception 44 years ago [1], making this a historic vulnerability for the Hungarian energy sector.
“Hungary's only nuclear power plant may face a full shutdown for the first time in its 44-year history.”
This situation highlights the growing vulnerability of nuclear energy infrastructure to climate-driven weather extremes. Because nuclear plants rely on consistent water sources for cooling, prolonged droughts and heatwaves can transform a reliable baseload power source into a liability, forcing nations to either increase reliance on fossil fuel backups or risk grid instability.
