Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has offered Slovakia’s support to Hungary as the country grapples with a deepening energy crisis caused by record-low water levels in the Danube that have severely reduced output at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant.
In a statement published on Facebook on Saturday, Fico said Slovakia was prepared to assist its southern neighbour should the situation at Paks worsen.
“I am closely monitoring the energy crisis in Hungary and would like to express our full solidarity with our neighbour and our readiness to help,” the Slovak prime minister wrote.
He warned that the possible shutdown of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant due to insufficient cooling water from the Danube could push Hungary into an “unprecedented energy crisis.”
Slovakia says its nuclear plants remain unaffected
Fico revealed that he had held consultations with Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Denisa Saková, as well as Branislav Strýček, CEO of Slovenské elektrárne, Slovakia’s state electricity producer.
According to the Slovak leader, the country’s two nuclear power stations — Mochovce and Jaslovské Bohunice — are operating normally and face no comparable risks because they use a different reactor cooling system.
Unlike Paks, which relies directly on water from the Danube to cool its reactors, Slovakia’s Mochovce nuclear plant uses cooling towers supplied by water from the Hron (Garam) River through a dedicated reservoir and dam system. This design makes it far less vulnerable to prolonged periods of low river levels and high summer temperatures.
If you missed it: Hungary prepares emergency power restrictions, Paks nuclear plant could shut down this weekend
Hungary continues emergency measures
Hungary has been implementing a series of emergency energy-saving measures after exceptionally low water levels forced repeated reductions in electricity generation at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant.
The government has already introduced restrictions affecting large industrial electricity consumers, reduced decorative lighting at public buildings, slowed metro and tram services in Budapest to save electricity, and announced temporary limits on rail freight operations during peak evening demand.
The restart of the Dunamenti Power Plant on Saturday restored nearly 400 MW of gas-fired generation capacity, providing an important boost to the national grid. However, the additional capacity does not fully compensate for the significant loss of nuclear generation at Paks, where output has fallen sharply because of the Danube’s historically low water level.
Fico’s offer highlights the close energy cooperation between the two neighbouring countries, whose electricity grids are interconnected as part of the Central European power network.
Read more about the current energy crisis in Hungary on Daily News Hungary.
