Hungarian officials have issued a warning regarding the operational status of the Paks nuclear power plant, the nation's primary source of electricity. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the country is entering a critical five-day period as the facility prepares to cease operations. The decision stems from the current state of the River Danube, which has reached record-low water levels, rendering it insufficient to provide the necessary cooling for the plant's reactors.

The Paks facility provides a significant portion of Hungary's total energy supply, making its potential shutdown a matter of national energy security. While the government has characterized the coming days as the most critical, it has not yet provided specific details on how the national grid will compensate for the lost power generation or how long the shutdown is expected to last. The situation highlights the vulnerability of water-dependent infrastructure to extreme environmental conditions, specifically the ongoing drought affecting the region. As of now, the government is focused on managing the immediate impact of the cooling water shortage, with further updates expected as the situation develops.