Hungary faces an unprecedented crisis

2026-08-03 18:42:45Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Hungary faces an unprecedented crisis

Due to the ongoing heat, Hungary will shut down the Paks nuclear power plant, which produces almost half of the country's electricity.

According to Prime Minister Peter Magyar, the population of Hungary is facing an "unprecedented energy crisis". He said that this situation can only be successfully overcome through everyone's cooperation. He warned that the Paks nuclear power plant will no longer produce any electricity, as the level of the Danube, whose water is used to cool the nuclear power plant, fell to a record low,

"We have hot days ahead with temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius. Our electricity grid, public services and of course ourselves will face an extraordinary load," Magyar explained. "I call on everyone to, starting from Monday, take even more care of each other, especially children, the elderly, the sick and people living alone."

According to Prime Minister Magyar, something is happening in Hungary that many people could not imagine and which even the plant operators considered impossible until a few years ago.

"Due to the record and unprecedented low water level in the Danube, electricity production in Paks will be temporarily completely stopped," he stated.

Half of Hungary's electricity

The Paks nuclear power plant, with its four reactor units, is located about 100 kilometers south of Budapest and provides almost half of Hungary's electricity supply.

"The level of the Danube near Paks has dropped to minus 133 centimeters and this will most likely lead to the complete shutdown of the Paks nuclear power plant for the first time in 44 years," the Hungarian prime minister said.

Call for electricity saving

Prime Minister Magyar had also called on large companies, public administrations, and households in recent days to significantly reduce electricity consumption during the evening hours.

If industrial enterprises do not comply with this request, they may be temporarily disconnected from the electricity grid. Shopping malls must also reduce the use of air conditioning systems, while cities, municipalities and churches must turn off decorative lighting over the coming days.


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