Full Breakdown
Low Danube Levels Prompt Nuclear Output Reductions in Hungary and Romania
7/31/2026, 8:52:48 PM
Core Event
Historically low water levels on the Danube have forced both Hungary and Romania to curtail electricity generation at their nuclear plants. Hungary’s Paks facility cut output by 50 % at reactor 2 on Thursday morning and had already reduced reactor 1 by 254 MW on Monday and shut down reactor 3 on Wednesday. In Romania, the state-owned Nuclearelectrica shut its first Cernavoda reactor earlier this week and scheduled the shutdown of the second reactor for early Thursday, marking the first simultaneous loss of both Danube-cooled reactors.
Heatwave Context and River Flow Figures
The reductions occur amid one of Europe’s hottest summers on record. In Budapest, the national water authority recorded a gauge level of 23 cm, well below the previous record low of 33 cm set in 2018. At the Romanian entry point, the state water-management agency reported a flow of 1,650 cubic metres per second on Tuesday, compared with a July average of 4,750 cubic metres per second. The agency projects the flow will fall to 1,500 cubic metres per second on August 4, approaching the all-time low of 1,400 cubic metres per second recorded in 1985.
Official Statements from Energy Ministries and Water Agencies
Romania’s energy ministry announced the second reactor’s shutdown, noting that the move will increase reliance on imports and pressure power prices already heightened by heat-driven demand. Hungary’s water authority highlighted the “exceptional situation” and indicated ongoing dredging efforts to keep navigation possible.
Navigation, Cargo and Tourism Disruptions
Low water has halted most cargo traffic and forced tourist cruises in Hungary to dock farther upriver. In Bulgaria, police evacuated 186 tourists from a cruise ship that ran aground near Vidin. In Serbia, dozens of cargo ships and hundreds of small boats were stranded near Novi Sad as the river receded up to 20 m from its usual shore. In Budapest, exposed bridge pillars allowed pedestrians to walk on the riverbed beneath the Margaret Bridge.
