Serbia is facing a significant reduction in hydroelectric power production due to an unprecedented drought that has pushed the Danube River to its lowest recorded levels. This environmental challenge has compelled the country to scale down output at its two largest hydroelectric plants, Djerdap I and Djerdap II.
Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic disclosed to RTS television that Djerdap I is operating at just 20 percent of its capacity, while Djerdap II runs at 30 percent. Combined, these plants contribute about 18 percent of Serbia's electricity supply.
Hydropower constitutes nearly one-third of Serbia's energy mix, with thermal power plants covering the remainder. However, persistent heatwaves across Europe since May have drastically reduced rainfall, leaving the Danube with insufficient water levels to sustain normal hydroelectric operations.
Serbian meteorologists report a lack of meaningful precipitation feeding the river over the past five to six weeks. This situation mirrors energy production difficulties in neighboring Hungary, where the prime minister recently announced the shutdown of the country’s only nuclear power plant due to similar cooling water shortages from the Danube.
