Hungary's Paks nuclear plant faces heat‑wave curbs and district‑heating proposal

During an unprecedented heat wave that pushed temperatures above 30 °C on the Danube and set a new national electricity‑demand record of 7,488 MW, Energy Minister István Kapitány visited the Paks nuclear plant. He granted a temporary exemption allowing the plant to exceed the usual 30 °C river‑water limit and approved a partial performance reduction for the following days. The minister also urged citizens to cut power consumption between 18:00 and 21:00 to protect the grid.

Separately, the Budapest utility and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics began drafting a plan to use waste heat from Paks for district heating in the capital. The proposal envisions a 125‑km heat‑transfer line, with possible connections for nearby towns and industry, aiming to improve energy efficiency and reduce gas consumption, though technical and distance challenges remain.