Government Spokesperson Vanda Szondi, Prime Minister Péter Magyar, and Zsolt Hernádi, Chairman and CEO of MOL, at the Százhalombatta refinery – Photo: Tamás Purger / MTIÁllítsd be a Telexet megbízható forrásnak!Never before has the country faced such a difficult energy situation– Prime Minister Péter Magyar said at an emergency press conference held on Friday at MOL’s Százhalombatta refinery. The Paks Nuclear Power Plant is currently operating, but only at half of its capacity, with additional reductions expected, and the plant will have to be shut down on Monday. The water level of the Danube is not expected to rise any time soon. It is currently at –133 centimeters and according to forecasts, could reach as low as –144 centimeters. The PM explained that the reactors can be restarted once water levels will again be high enough to ensure safe operation, “which is not expected to happen in the next weeks”.The Paks Nuclear Power Plant provides nearly half of Hungary's electricity, and the Danube supplies the water needed to cool the facility.Magyar noted that the load of the power grid is especially high between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. every day, and urged citizens to avoid activities which consume excessive amounts of energy during this time, so that the country could conserve as much energy as possible. He stressed that the situation is under control, but a truly united effort of the public will be necessary, adding that they are awaiting contributions from companies. “But before they send the email, they should multiply the numbers by two,” the Prime Minister advised.“Hungary has never experienced a blackout or a grid collapse like the ones we’ve seen in Spain or some Balkan countries,” he said, adding that the government was doing everything they can to ensure that nothing like that ever happens here.The Samsung SDI factory in Göd has announced that, due to the extreme weather conditions and the resulting difficulties with water and electricity supply, they have reduced water consumption by 50 percent and would cut electricity consumption by 10 percent during the critical period.Péter Magyar said that he had asked Foreign Minister Anita Orbán to contact the foreign ministers of neighboring countries so they could work together and somehow try to stop the further drop of Danube’s water level. “We are in contact with Germany, Austria, and Slovakia” he added.The Prime Minister is in constant contact with members of the government and the heads of key infrastructure facilities. Decisions on the most important issues will be made on Friday evening.Mol is one of the country's biggest electricity consumers, and the company has voluntarily committed to cutting its consumption by 40 percent. “We consider this decision exemplary and forward-looking,” he added, and said that the government would soon have the legal framework required for disconnecting businesses from the grid in place.MOL Chairman and CEO Zsolt Hernádi, said that there is currently enough fuel in Hungary, and added that while there is a shortage on the global market, Hungary currently has strategic reserves that are sufficient for 87 days. Magyar joined in and added that there is no need to tap into the strategic reserves at this point, stressing that we must avoid a fuel shortage such as the one that occurred in 2022 at all costs. “If prices spiral out of control, we will intervene,” the Prime Minister said.For more quick, accurate and impartial news from and about Hungary, subscribe to the Telex English newsletter!Állítsd be a Telexet megbízható forrásnak!Latest