Magyar: Next 48 hours will be the most difficult

Prime Minister Peter Magyar has called the next 48 hours "the most challenging period" and announced several measures in response to the extraordinary energy situation. He cited weather forecasts indicating that a cold front on Friday could bring relief.

In a Facebook video on Tuesday evening, Magyar noted that the national chief medical officer had extended the third-degree heat alert until midnight on Friday.

Experts expect temperatures to exceed 40 C on Wednesday and Thursday, with absolute heat records of over 42 C possibly being broken in central Hungary.

The cold front on Friday is expected to bring 5-6mm of rainfall, he said. While this will not alleviate Hungary's severe drought, more significant rain may fall in the Danube's Austrian catchment area, which "would be extremely important for raising the Danube's water levels".

The prime minister recalled his visit to the Paks nuclear plant on Tuesday, where he personally assessed the situation.

He said multiple factors would determine whether the last turbine at Paks must also be shut down in the coming hours. 

"A decision to restart the already shut-down turbines can only be made if the necessary water levels are sustainably available and further declines can be ruled out for several days," he said. He underlined that nuclear safety takes precedence over all other considerations.

The prime minister noted that, at its meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the Defence Council reviewed the tasks for the coming days.

He announced that remote work in public administration and state-owned companies will remain in effect until Friday, wherever the nature of the tasks allows. Private-sector employers are also urged to follow this example where possible.

A decision was also made to maintain the suspension of rail freight transport on Wednesday and Thursday between 5pm and 10pm, which, according to calculations, will reduce the load on the energy grid by 60-90MW during the evening peak period, a significant saving.

In recent days, 837 medium and large consumers have made voluntary commitments, reducing or rescheduling a total of more than 600MW of consumption, the prime minister said. "It is still possible to join, and not everyone has done so yet," he added.

If the security of Hungary's energy supply requires it, mandatory restrictions or even disconnections may be ordered, he said.

"In the next critical 48 hours, heat will increase consumption," he said. "The Hungarian government, the affected companies, experts, and staff are all working to ensure that the country successfully navigates the next two to three days." He urged the public to look out for one another and to reschedule all deferrable electricity consumption between 5pm and 10pm.

Earlier: 

In a video message posted on Facebook, the prime minister said that starting Monday, the Paks plant will produce no electricity at all, while the country was facing the hottest days, with temperatures reaching 40C.

As a result, the electricity system, public services and the population will face enormous strain, he warned.

Magyar urged everyone to pay even closer attention to vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly, the sick, and those living alone, from Monday.

He also called for even more conscious electricity conservation between 5pm and 10pm, particularly between 6pm and 9pm, asking businesses, institutions, local councils and individuals to significantly reduce or postpone their power consumption during this window.

The Paks nuclear power plant normally supplies around half of Hungary's electricity, making the current shutdown unprecedented in the plant's more than four decades of operation. 

As reported earlier, the outage has been forced by exceptionally low Danube water levels, which have reduced the cooling water available for the reactors.

The government has warned that if voluntary electricity savings prove insufficient, further emergency measures affecting major industrial consumers may be introduced. 

Officials have urged households and businesses to minimise electricity use during the evening peak period, when demand is highest and solar generation drops sharply.

In a video message on Sunday, the prime minister explained that the task force will assess the latest data on consumption, production, imports and water levels before deciding on the need for restrictions.

Magyar noted that the government decree enabling mandatory consumption cuts came into force on Saturday and will be applied if necessary.

The safety of the Paks nuclear power plant is fully guaranteed during its complete shutdown, the PM also said on Facebook on Sunday.

Around 50 water management experts will work alongside the plant's staff to maintain the strict safety protocols, ensuring a continuous supply of 100 cubic metres of cooling water per minute until the Danube's water levels rise and power generation can resume, he said.

The Paks nuclear power plant normally supplies around half of Hungary's electricity, making the current shutdown unprecedented in the plant's more than four decades of operation. 

As reported earlier, the outage has been forced by exceptionally low Danube water levels, which have reduced the cooling water available for the reactors.

The government has warned that if voluntary electricity savings prove insufficient, further emergency measures affecting major industrial consumers may be introduced. 

Officials have urged households and businesses to minimise electricity use during the evening peak period, when demand is highest and solar generation drops sharply.

In a video message on Sunday, the prime minister explained that the task force will assess the latest data on consumption, production, imports and water levels before deciding on the need for restrictions.

Magyar noted that the government decree enabling mandatory consumption cuts came into force on Saturday and will be applied if necessary.

The safety of the Paks nuclear power plant is fully guaranteed during its complete shutdown, the PM also said on Facebook on Sunday.

Around 50 water management experts will work alongside the plant's staff to maintain the strict safety protocols, ensuring a continuous supply of 100 cubic metres of cooling water per minute until the Danube's water levels rise and power generation can resume, he said.

MTI Stock Photo

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881.

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