Prolonged Heat and Drought Across Central and Eastern Europe Have Caused Record-low River

Hungary's Paks nuclear plant ran at about 10% capacity Monday due to low Danube water levels, while Romania's military blasted a rock outcrop upstream to boost cooling flow to the Cernavoda plant. Prolonged heat and drought across central and eastern Europe have caused record-low river levels, threatening power supplies and industry. Romania's Defense Minister Radu Miruta called the operation a success, noting the military had waited decades to demolish the rocks; if water diversion fails, the plant may shut down by Thursday.

Caretaker Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said Dacia and Ford agreed to suspend production until August 19, with other firms expected to follow. In Hungary, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said a total shutdown of Paks was avoided, but the four-reactor station, which usually provides nearly half of the country's electricity, was running at just over 10% capacity. Authorities asked industrial users to cut consumption and households to save voluntarily; electric freight trains were halted Monday to ease grid load.

Magyar thanked citizens for restraint, saying the network is stable and consumption is below planned levels, with the last Paks turbine operational. Serbia's Iron Gate hydroelectric plant operated at about one-fifth capacity, prompting Prime Minister Djuro Macut to convene an emergency meeting and urge residents to minimize use of air conditioners. In Germany, Transport Minister Steffen Bilger called the low Danube and Rhine levels a very tense situation, chairing a crisis meeting Thursday; he noted the early timing of such problems.

"We have entered the critical period. The network is stable, consumption is currently well below planned levels, thanks to self-restraint. The last Paks turbine is operational. I will report back shortly from the (grid operator) MAVIR control room,"