Residents across Eastern Europe are bracing for possible electricity restrictions after the Danube fell to record-low levels, disrupting nuclear and hydropower generation. Bloomberg reported the developments on 30 July 2026.
Prolonged extreme heat and drought have critically depleted the continent’s major rivers. In Budapest the Danube dropped to 23 cm — 10 cm below the previous record set in 2018. Near Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant, local gauges registered historic lows of below –100 cm.
The Paks plant, which supplies more than 40 % of Hungary’s electricity, has already reduced output and shut down one of its four reactors. The operator warned that a complete shutdown could become necessary within 24–72 hours because of insufficient cooling water. Prime Minister Péter Magyar said the government is preparing plans requiring large industrial consumers to cut usage, while stressing that hospitals and essential public services will remain protected.
In Romania both reactors at the Cernavodă nuclear plant — accounting for roughly 20 % of national generation — have been taken offline due to what officials described as the “very low, unprecedented” level of the Danube. This marks the first time both units have been shut simultaneously because of low water. The country is increasing power imports, pushing prices higher. Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has urged citizens to reduce consumption during peak hours.
Serbia’s largest hydropower facility, Đerdap 1, is running at only one-third of normal capacity. Low water has forced barges and tankers to operate at 30–40 % of their usual loads, disrupting fuel deliveries. In Slovakia, the Danube at Bratislava recorded its lowest average July flow in 125 years of measurements.
Conditions are also deteriorating on the Rhine, a vital German transport artery. Levels at key points, including Kaub, are approaching the record lows of 2018. Vessels are sailing with only 15–20 % loads in some cases, driving up freight costs and adding pressure on industry.
Rivers are essential not only for navigation but also for cooling thermal and nuclear plants. Low flows combined with high water temperatures trigger environmental restrictions on discharge temperatures. Forecasts offer little relief: significant rainfall is not expected in the Danube basin, and another heatwave could worsen the situation.
Authorities across the region are balancing energy security, higher imports and potential consumption limits. The situation remains tense and requires close monitoring.