Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant may continue operating at reduced capacity until Tuesday, temporarily easing pressure on the country’s electricity grid during an intense heatwave.
However, the plant is expected to shut down completely later this week as water levels in the Danube, which supplies its cooling water, are forecast to fall further.
“Today, and maybe tomorrow, the last turbine producing 240 megawatts can keep working,” Prime Minister Péter Magyar said.
He described the development as positive because it could prevent a complete shutdown on one of the days when electricity consumption is expected to be at its highest.
Large parts of Europe have been affected by prolonged heat and drought, reducing river levels and raising concerns about water supplies, shipping and electricity generation.
“The most critical five days are starting now,” Magyar said in a video posted on Facebook.
“The energy grid and the water supply are under increasing strain.”
As the Paks plant is gradually powered down, Hungary is expected to become more dependent on imported electricity. Demand is also forecast to rise as temperatures increase during the heatwave.
Magyar said households and companies had responded to the government’s call to reduce electricity use.
Voluntary reductions lowered demand by 700 megawatts on Sunday, equivalent to the output of about one and a half reactors at Paks. Magyar said the cuts had significantly reduced pressure on the electricity grid.
Pharmaceutical company Richter said it would reduce its electricity consumption by more than 50 per cent over the next three weeks.
The company also offered to supply four megawatts of electricity each day from its solar energy facility as businesses support efforts to stabilise Hungary’s power network.
Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant may continue operating at reduced capacity until Tuesday, temporarily easing pressure on the country’s electric...
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said Tehran is not currently involved in direct talks with Washington about reopening the St...
Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Monday, after years of ...
A tourist aircraft crashed near Peru's UNESCO-listed Nazca Lines on Saturday (1 August), killing all 13 people on board, authorities said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said Tehran is not currently involved in direct talks with Washington about reopening the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran were to begin on Monday.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in Greece on Sunday, killing two crew members as emergency services continued efforts to contain fires fuelled by extreme heat and dry conditions across Europe.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said wildfires that swept across France were now under control. Authorities warned that risks remained as Greece and Spain continued battling active blazes across parts of Europe.
Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Monday, after years of questions over the health and well-being of the 81-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Indonesian rescue teams are searching for 28 people still unaccounted for, three days after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura island.
17 Gaming won the PUBG: Battlegrounds title at the Games of the Future 2026 in Astana after a closely fought tournament that was decided in the 15th and final match.
Cuba faced another nationwide blackout after its electricity grid failed, deepening an energy crisis tied to fuel shortages and U.S. sanctions.
The Japanese yen strengthened on Monday after Japan and the United States confirmed a rare coordinated currency intervention to halt the currency's slide following weeks of pressure.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment