Hungary has extended its third-degree heat alert until midnight on Friday as the ongoing heatwave continues, while the remaining operating turbine at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant can still be run safely thanks to the work of technical specialists, the government’s Defence Task Force said in its daily assessment published on Tuesday.
Authorities said forecasts indicate daytime highs of between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius over the coming days. According to current forecasts, a cold front expected to arrive on Friday will bring temporary relief, with temperatures remaining below 30 degrees Celsius for several days.
The statement noted that while the front is not expected to bring enough rainfall to ease Hungary’s drought, precipitation in Austria could raise the Danube’s water level upstream. Officials said the river currently remains a few centimetres above the threshold that would require the shutdown of the final operating turbine at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant.
Current projections suggest water levels will gradually improve over the coming days. However, the remaining turbines can only be restarted once water levels remain sustainably above the required threshold. Authorities stressed that nuclear safety remains the overriding priority in all operational decisions.
The task force warned that, aside from low water levels, operating the plant with only a single turbine creates additional risks, as even minor technical disruptions could have significant consequences. It therefore urged continued efforts to reduce electricity consumption.
According to the government, 837 medium-sized and large industrial consumers have voluntarily committed to reducing or rescheduling more than 600 megawatts of electricity demand. Authorities noted that existing legislation also allows mandatory restrictions or disconnection of major consumers if required to safeguard the national electricity supply. Officials described the next 48 hours as the most critical period.
The government also credited households with helping maintain a stable electricity system through voluntary energy savings. It again urged the public to postpone non-essential electricity use between 5pm and 10pm.
As part of additional measures, the government decided to continue suspending rail freight operations between 5pm and 10pm on Wednesday and Thursday. The measure is expected to reduce demand on the electricity grid by between 60 and 90 megawatts during the evening peak period.
The statement added that remote working arrangements will remain in place across public administration and state-owned companies until Friday wherever operationally possible. Private-sector employers were also encouraged to adopt similar measures.
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