Hungary to Shut Its Only Nuclear Plant for First Time on Drought

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomePMN BusinessHungary to Shut Its Only Nuclear Plant for First Time on DroughtHungary is set to shut down its only nuclear power plant for the first time after water levels in the Danube fell below the minimum needed to cool its four reactors.Author of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — Hungary is set to shut down its only nuclear power plant for the first time after water levels in the Danube fell below the minimum needed to cool its four reactors.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountOne of the two reactors still operating will be shut down at 1:30 a.m. local time Sunday, with the final one powering down later in the day, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said in a post on Facebook. The halt of the 44-year-old Paks plant south of Budapest removes more than 40% of the nation’s electricity generation capacity and will likely force the country to rely more on expensive imports.Magyar warned earlier that Hungary faces its worst energy crisis in decades as another heat wave is forecast across Central Europe. Persistently low river levels could keep Paks’ 2,000 megawatts of capacity offline for weeks, prolonging the strain on the country’s power system, he said on Friday. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe government has already urged large industrial users, including carmakers and battery plants, to reduce power consumption to ease pressure on the grid. Legislation has been approved to allow voluntary reductions to become mandatory if needed, while emergency plans outline broader restrictions to safeguard essential services such as hospitals.The drought is also exposing wider vulnerabilities in Hungary’s water system. It comes as the government begins work on a long-delayed overhaul of the country’s aging irrigation network, which has become an increasing threat to agricultural production.The disruption underscores how prolonged drought and extreme heat are increasingly affecting Europe’s energy infrastructure. Water shortages, record temperatures and wildfires have strained power systems and damaged crops across the continent, highlighting the growing economic cost of climate extremes.On Friday, several thousand Hungarians were left without water in the picturesque town of Szentendre, just north of Budapest along the Danube, due to a demand overload, Magyar said. The army deployed two water trucks and distributed 7,000 bags of water.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.