Several European Countries Face Energy Crises as Danube and Rhine Hit Record Lows

Droughts have dropped the Danube and Rhine rivers to record lows, causing energy crises to loom in several Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

The Details: Europe is currently experiencing its second major heatwave this summer, with temperatures topping 100 Fahrenheit in several Central European capitals. With no significant rainfall expected in the coming days, both the Danube and Rhine Rivers have hit record lows. According to the Associated Press (Lean Left bias), the Danube fell to a record low of 10 centimeters, well below its previous recorded low of 33 centimeters in 2018. According to BBC News (Center), the Rhine hit lows in the Netherlands and Germany, matching its 2018 low.

Hungary: One of the biggest storylines in mainstream media has come out of Hungary, where the state-owned Paks nuclear power plant, which generates 40% of Hungary's electricity, has had to be shut down. The plant has never been shut down before in its 44-year history. Prime Minister Peter Magyar noted the five-day stretch of intense heat and said, "The power grid, our public services and ourselves will all come under enormous ⁠strain." Meanwhile, the country is preparing for Sziget Festival, one of the biggest music festivals in Europe, which organizers have said will go ahead as planned with self-generated power if necessary. Hungary Today, which has consistently shown bias in favor of Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party, framed Hungary's situation as uncertain and difficult for "ordinary Hungarians" while the festival will continue. Conversely, EUobserver (Lean Left) framed the power crisis as something the "far right" is "urg[ing] Hungarians to defy."

Romania: Romania's nuclear power plants have also been stymied, prompting the Romanian military to blast through natural rock formations in an effort to direct more water to its Cernavodă nuclear power plant. The plant produces 20% of the country's electricity, and currently only one of its two reactors is functioning. The military operation was covered by several major mainstream outlets across the spectrum. Romania's neighbor, the Republic of Moldova, has placed restrictions on energy use during peak hours and chosen to reroute energy imports from Ukraine to help Romania.

Serbia: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said the country is "having problems" at its sole oil refinery and that it will "need to cut gas supply volumes or cargo shipments by 50%" as the Danube becomes unnavigable in coming days. The Danube's levels are so low in Serbia that ships sunk during World War II have begun to emerge.

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