Central Europe heatwave sets Austrian record and strains power supplies

Vienna, Austria. A heatwave and drought continued to affect central and southern Europe on Wednesday, with Austria recording its highest temperature, Hungary reducing power use and Italy issuing red alerts for major cities.

Record temperatures and alerts

Austria recorded a temperature of 41.2C in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, near the Slovak border, according to national weather service GeoSphere Austria. The reading exceeded the previous record of 41.0C, set in nearby Vienna on Tuesday.

Italy placed its major cities under red heat alerts as temperatures reached around 40C in some areas. In Albania, emergency services fought a wildfire in the southern Mallakaster region.

The Vatican moved Pope Leo’s first weekly general audience after the July break indoors instead of holding it in St Peter’s Square. Visitors in Rome sought relief from the heat.

“I suppose it’s better to hold it indoors because of the heat,” tourist Diego Amaya from Mexico said.

Pressure on energy supplies

In Hungary, companies and households reduced electricity consumption after a government appeal to ease pressure on the grid during the severe drought.

Budapest was expected to reach the peak of the heatwave over the following two days, with temperatures approaching 40C on Wednesday afternoon.

Low water levels on the Danube forced Hungary to largely shut down its only nuclear plant, which uses river water for cooling, creating an energy crisis that stretched power supply capacity.

Slovenia’s Krsko nuclear plant, which also supplies neighbouring Croatia, said it would reduce reactor output overnight because of exceptionally high temperatures and low flows on the Sava River, which flows into the Danube. It will initially reduce generation to 80 per cent of capacity.

River transport disruption

Further west, water levels on Germany’s Rhine reached new lows. Some cargo services stopped, while others continued with substantially reduced loads.

The Rhine is used to transport commodities including grains, ores and petrol.