Overview
- Hungary’s prime minister said on Friday that the Paks nuclear plant is being powered down and could stay shut for weeks because Danube levels are too low to supply safe cooling water.
- Romania shut one Cernavoda reactor earlier this week and announced a shutdown of its second unit as low flows on the Danube remove required cooling water and cut domestic nuclear generation.
- River navigation has been severely disrupted, with cargo barges forced to sail lightly or wait and a Viking cruise ship near Vidin evacuated after running aground and passengers ran low on food and water.
- Companies and utilities are already feeling the hit: hydropower and nuclear output cuts have reduced earnings, pushed countries to import power, and led governments to ask big industrial users to curb consumption.
- Scientists link the extreme drought and heat to human-caused climate change, and authorities are monitoring gauges, dredging channels where possible, and preparing contingency measures for transport and energy shortfalls.