Europe's second-longest river, the Danube, has reached historically low water levels, forcing nuclear power plants in Hungary and Romania to significantly reduce their energy production. The river, which stretches 2,857 kilometers, is essential for cooling operations at these facilities, but the ongoing heatwave across the continent has caused water flows to drop to critical stages.
In Hungary, the Paks nuclear plant, located 120 kilometers south of Budapest, began implementing output cuts on Thursday morning, specifically at reactor 2, which saw a 50% reduction. These measures followed earlier operational adjustments, including a 254-megawatt decrease at reactor 1 on Monday and the powering down of reactor 3 on Wednesday. The facility relies on four Russian-built reactors with a combined capacity of 2 gigawatts.
The situation is equally challenging in Romania at the Cernavoda nuclear plant, situated 160 kilometers east of Bucharest. One of the site's two reactors was taken offline earlier this week due to the receding water levels. While the Romanian Energy Ministry initially planned to shut down the second reactor on Thursday citing unfavorable hydraulic conditions, they were able to maintain its operation through the night.
The severity of the drought is evidenced by measurements in Budapest, where the national water authority recorded the Danube’s gauge level at 23 centimeters on Wednesday morning. This figure is significantly lower than the previous record of 33 centimeters established in 2018. In Romania, water levels in some sections have dropped to one meter below the navigable minimum, prompting dredging efforts to keep shipping channels open. Adrian Maizel, who monitors traffic on the river, described the situation as exceptional and noted that authorities are working to maintain a narrow, navigable channel to prevent a complete blockage of waterborne commerce.
Beyond energy production, the drought has severely impacted river traffic, including cargo ships and tourist cruises. In Bulgaria, near the port city of Vidin, police were forced to evacuate 186 tourists from a cruise ship that ran aground. Meanwhile, in Serbia, water levels near the northern city of Novi Sad receded as much as 20 meters from the shore, leaving dozens of cargo ships and hundreds of smaller vessels stranded. Local boat excursion operator Radovan Segrt remarked that the summer season for boat trips has effectively ended.
The receding waters have also revealed historical remnants, such as the base pillars of Budapest’s Margaret Bridge, where authorities recently discovered a bomb dating back to the Second World War. Photographer Gabor Kertesz noted the shock of witnessing the exposed rocks and sandbars, attributing the drastic changes to the broader impact of climate change.
These conditions are part of a wider trend of extreme heat across Europe. While western regions in France and Spain battle unprecedented wildfires, Germany is preparing for another heatwave with temperatures expected to approach 40°C. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has previously reported over 5,000 fatalities linked to extreme heat during the latter half of June, highlighting the significant human and infrastructure toll of the current weather crisis.
In the west of the continent, French and Spanish authorities area battling unprecedented wildfires while Germany is bracing itself for another heatwave, with temperatures in some regions expected to approach 40°C (104°F) again this week, according to the German Meteorological Service (DWD).
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