Record drought and heatwave bring energy emergency to Eastern Europe

Governments across Central and Eastern Europe are implementing electricity conservation measures to address an emerging energy crisis caused by a record-breaking heatwave and drought. The extreme weather conditions have resulted in historically low water levels along the Danube River, which is critical for regional energy infrastructure and power generation.

In Hungary, the situation has necessitated the shutdown of the nation's only nuclear power plant. Because the facility provides electricity for half of the country, its closure due to insufficient water resources highlights the significant impact of the environmental conditions on regional energy stability.