{
  "id": 38063,
  "title": "Hungary: Successive heatwaves drain Danube river used to cool nuclear plant",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/hungary-successive-heatwaves-drain-danube-river-used-to-cool-nuclear",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-02T08:55:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "France 24",
    "slug": "france-24",
    "url": "https://www.france24.com/en/hungary-successive-heatwaves-drain-danube-river-used-to-cool-nuclear-plant"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Hungary has shut down its sole nuclear power plant due to record-low water levels in the Danube river, which is used for cooling. The MVM Paks Nuclear Power Plant, located in Paks south of Budapest, normally provides around a third of Hungary's electricity needs.\n\nThe plant's operator announced that one of the last two generating units would be shut down, with the plant's output falling to 240 megawatts, and a complete shutdown to follow. According to Free Malaysia Today, this marks the first halt in 44 years.\n\nThe shutdown is attributed to successive heatwaves and a prolonged drought across Europe, which have led to an energy crisis. The Danube river's water level has dropped to a record low due to a lack of rain since May, with temperatures forecast to reach over 40C in the coming days, and a peak of 42C predicted for Thursday, according to HungaroMet.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Hungary plans to shut down only nuclear power plant amid drought",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/hungary-plans-to-shut-down-only-nuclear-power-plant-amid-drought",
        "published": "2026-08-02T00:49:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "Hungary to shut sole nuclear plant for first time on Sunday",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/hungary-to-shut-sole-nuclear-plant-for-first-time-on-sunday",
        "published": "2026-08-02T02:16:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Hungary’s PM announces closure of nuclear plant due to heatwave",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/hungarys-pm-announces-closure-of-nuclear-plant-due-to-heatwave",
        "published": "2026-08-02T05:33:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}