Hungary has granted its nuclear power plant Paks a temporary exemption from environmental operating limits after unusually high temperatures in the Danube river threatened to force deeper cuts in electricity production.
The decision follows several days of reduced output at the country’s only nuclear facility. In coordination with transmission system operator MAVIR, generation was already curtailed by 243 MW on Saturday and a further 320 MW on Sunday, as rising cooling water temperatures increased pressure on operational limits.
Under standard regulations, the temperature of water measured within 500 meters of the discharge point must not exceed 30°C. On Monday, readings reached 30.22°C, exceeding both the 29.5°C intervention threshold and the legal limit. Without intervention, the plant would have been required to reduce output by an additional 640 MW, significantly tightening Hungary’s electricity supply.
Instead, the Hungarian Energy Ministry approved a temporary exemption covering 29 and 30 June, allowing the plant to limit further reductions to just 40 MW. This decision enables higher nuclear output during the ongoing heatwave, helping to support overall security of electricity supply.
Plant operators stated that Danube water temperatures will continue to be closely monitored on a daily basis, with production adjustments made in coordination with MAVIR depending on both environmental conditions and system demand.
Economy and Energy Minister István Kapitány said the exemption was necessary to safeguard electricity security amid extreme heat affecting much of Europe. He emphasized that environmental protections remain in place, noting that both river temperature levels and ecosystem conditions will continue to be monitored throughout the period of the exemption.
