Péter Magyar visited Paks on Tuesday and said Hungary's most important power plant had a few critical days left as the Danube River fell to record-low levels. The warning came while Hungary's only nuclear plant was on the brink of a complete shutdown, with BMW iX3 appearing in the same news cycle but the real issue being power at Paks.
On Wednesday morning, three of Paks's four reactors were not operating and the fourth was running at about 50% power. The 44-year-old plant sits about 60 miles south of Budapest and normally generates roughly 50% of Hungary's electricity, making the river level drop an immediate operating problem for the grid.
Paks and the Danube River
Paks was built to suck water in directly from the Danube River, unlike many nuclear plants in the U.S., U.K., Germany and France that use giant cooling towers. That setup leaves the plant exposed when the river falls low, and the Danube was breaking new record lows across much of its nearly 1,800-mile stretch through eastern Europe on August 5, 2026.
Magyar said, “Several factors will determine whether Hungary's most important power plant can avoid a complete shutdown in the coming days,” and added, “There are a few critical days left. Today and tomorrow are certainly that,” before urging Hungarians to conserve power. He also said, “I ask everyone to continue the national unity that has developed in the country. Let's do what our country demands.”
Budapest energy cuts
The government said the electricity market is stable and supply is problem-free even as more than 300 government-linked buildings in Budapest were ordered this week to turn off their lights. The romantic spotlights on Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge stayed dark after sunset, and households were urged to avoid running washing machines and tumble dryers between 5 and 10 p.m.
Hungary has nearly doubled its electricity imports from neighboring countries via the region's power grid while hardly any precipitation was forecast for at least the next 10 days. The Danube's water levels were expected to slip even lower, and a cold front was predicted to move in on Friday.
Germany and France comparison
The pressure on Paks is sharper because the plant relies on direct river intake rather than the cooling systems used at many plants in Germany and France. Budapest was expected to reach above 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday and Thursday, adding heat to a period that had already lasted more than three months across southeast Europe.
Copernicus says Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, warming more than twice as fast as the global average. For Hungary, the immediate question is whether Paks can keep even one reactor running while the Danube stays low enough to threaten the plant's intake.
