Hungarian authorities have declared the coming five days as the “most critical” for the country’s energy security, as a severe drought threatens to force the shutdown of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, the nation’s sole nuclear facility.

The plant, which accounts for nearly half of Hungary’s electricity generation, relies on the Danube River for cooling water. Persistent high temperatures and historically low water levels have reduced the river’s flow to a point where cooling capacity is approaching critical limits, according to energy officials.

Government and plant operators have been holding emergency meetings to assess contingency measures, including potential load-shedding and increased reliance on imported electricity. Officials cautioned that a shutdown, even temporary, could strain the national grid and lead to rolling blackouts across the country.

The Hungarian Meteorological Service has forecast continued hot and dry conditions for the week ahead, with no significant rainfall expected in the Danube basin. The situation has intensified debate over the country’s energy resilience amid a summer of extreme weather across Europe.