A man cycles past the Chooz nuclear power plant and the Meuse River in northeastern France on Wednesday. The plant's two reactors have been shut down since Aug 1 after hot and dry weather caused the river to fall below the level required for cooling operations. OLIVIER HOSLET/EPA
The full threat of the extreme heat and drought conditions affecting much of Europe this summer has been expressed in the starkest terms after it was revealed that at least 15 nuclear reactors across the continent have had to be temporarily shut down or operate at reduced output.
France, which is one of Europe's most nuclear-dependent countries, has suffered from some of the worst weather conditions and has been legally obliged to take measures to stop discharged cooling water from pushing up river temperatures.
In the United Kingdom, a wildfire came within about 6 kilometers of the Sizewell B nuclear power station and a record-breaking drought affecting Europe's second-longest multi-country arterial river, the Danube, has impacted plants in Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.
Last week the national water authority recorded a record-low reading for the Danube in Hungary's capital Budapest, at 23 centimeters, far below the previous record of 33 centimeters, set in 2018.
