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Hungary's only nuclear power plant could shut down this weekend, days earlier than previously expected, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said Saturday, as a sweltering heat wave strains energy systems across Central Europe.
The Paks Nuclear Power Plant, south of Budapest, is cooled by water pumped from the Danube River, which has fallen to record low levels after a lack of rain and successive heat waves since May.
The plant normally provides around a third of Hungary's electricity needs, though the government said it was operating at about a quarter of its normal 2,000-megawatt capacity after partial shutdowns.
National weather service HungaroMet forecast highs above 40°C (104°F) in the coming days. A peak of 42°C (107.6°F) predicted for Thursday would match the national temperature record set earlier this summer.
On Friday, the plant's operator said declining water levels could force Paks to be taken completely offline for the first time in its history around the middle of next week.
"The water level of the Danube has fallen further, so engineers at the Paks power plant carried out another partial shutdown during the evening and early hours of the morning," Magyar said in a Facebook video.
"A complete shutdown is expected to take place sooner than anticipated, possibly as early as this weekend," he added.
The operator later said a full shutdown could become unavoidable within the next 24 to 72 hours if water levels remain critically low.
Magyar warned Thursday that the plant, which has operated for 44 years, could be shut down entirely for the first time because of insufficient cooling water from the Danube.
He said the government was preparing emergency measures and warned that an energy crisis could begin as early as Monday if conditions do not improve.
Magyar announced several measures aimed at preventing Hungary's energy grid from becoming overwhelmed.
They include penalties for large industrial consumers that fail to meet voluntary pledges to reduce electricity use during peak evening hours.
Under an upcoming government decree, "anyone who makes a commitment and fails to comply can expect sanctions," Magyar said.
He added that authorities could impose mandatory consumption cuts and temporarily disconnect specific large consumers from the grid if necessary.
Magyar said all available backup power plants had been placed on standby, including facilities that had long been out of service.
Freight rail services will also be suspended during peak hours from Monday, he said.
Magyar called for coordinated action and voluntary restraint in energy consumption to help avoid more severe consequences.
The crisis comes amid an intense heat wave and prolonged drought across Central Europe that have pushed the Danube to historic lows.
The low water levels have disrupted shipping and forced cuts to nuclear power generation in both Hungary and neighboring Romania.
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