Hungary's electricity consumption hit a new summer record on June 30 as temperatures climbed to 42°C under a heat dome that pushed large parts of the country above 40°C, state news agency MTI writes.

Grid operator Mavir said evening demand reached 7,488 MW, surpassing the previous summer record of 7,036 MW set in July 2024 by 452 MW. The new peak came as air conditioning use surged during the extreme heat. Record demand also drove up electricity imports and sent wholesale power prices soaring, with spot market prices briefly reaching €1,000 per MWh.

The heatwave also highlighted growing pressure on Hungary's energy system.

Utility company E.ON reported a surge in power outages due to overload of the system due to the heavy use of air conditioning. E.ON warned that the cold front and thunderstorms expected to bring relief later this week could create additional faults on the network.

Energy company Danubius Eromu, which operates a 400 MW gas-fuelled combined-cycle power plant in northwestern Hungary (Gonyu), said that while the facility had not been scheduled to generate electricity in Q2, the heatwave forced it to step in and support the grid for nearly half of the period.

The power plant, part of the France-based Veolia group, also put two 10 MW diesel generators into use, primarily intended for so-called "black start" operations to address blackouts. Power plants with a flexible operation, such as the one in Gonyu, could play a larger role in maintaining grid stability under these extreme conditions, the company said.

Output at Paks Nuclear Power Plant, which normally supplies around 40% of Hungary's electricity, was also cut back in recent days after the Danube's temperature exceeded 30°C at the plant's discharge point.

Economy and Energy Minister Istvan Kapitany subsequently granted the facility an exemption from mandatory output restrictions. As of July 1, the ministry had not released updated production figures. At the time of the exemption, the plant's four reactors, with a combined installed capacity of 2,100 MW, were generating 1,340 MW.

Transport services were also disrupted. Speed restrictions were introduced on dozens of railway lines as tracks overheated. Several train services were cancelled after rolling stock malfunctioned in the heat.

Transport Minister David Vitezy said 30 Stadler Flirt electric trains had become inoperable during the heatwave. These trains were designed to operate up to 35°C and can not cope with the current extreme weather.

Hungary's water supply system also came under strain, prompting authorities to impose third-level water restrictions in 120 municipalities served by the Danube Regional Waterworks across three counties.

Prime Minister Peter Magyar urged residents to conserve water. "Please use mains drinking water only for the most necessary purposes in the coming days," he said in a Facebook message on June 30.

Environment Minister Laszlo Gajdos said repeated warnings had failed to reduce consumption and urged residents to stop wasting drinking water. "This is no longer a game," he said. "I strongly ask everyone to use drinking water responsibly", he added.

Hungary will officially enter a period of prolonged water scarcity from July 2 as drought conditions worsen following weeks of extreme heat and below-average rainfall. The environment minister ordered the measure nationwide, citing soil moisture data and weather forecasts. Much of the country has received less than 20mm of rain over the past month, well below seasonal averages.

The drought is particularly severe in the Great Hungarian Plain. For the next 30 days, farmers can withdraw irrigation water without paying the normal water resource usage fee.

In his parliamentary address on June 30, Peter Magyar blamed the country's escalating water crisis on years of underinvestment by the previous government

"The Orban government not only failed to prepare the country for climate change, but it also denied the existence of the problem for years," he added.

The prime minister said previous governments were well aware that some €10bn would be needed over the next 15 years to modernise the water infrastructure but failed to make the necessary investments.

Magyar pledged to overhaul Hungary's water policy, making water retention rather than drainage the guiding principle of water management, while promising investments in reservoirs, water infrastructure and irrigation systems to help agriculture adapt to a warmer climate.

According to ecologists, countries in the Carpathian Basin, including Hungary, are particularly vulnerable to climate change as average temperatures in the region have risen faster than in many other parts of Europe.  

Hungay experienced its hottest day on record on June 30. Temperatures reached 42°C in the northern town of Szecseny and 41°C in Budapest.