Faced with unusually high temperatures and the need to reduce consumption, Hungary has turned off the decorative lighting at some of Budapest’s best-known landmarks. The affected monuments include the Parliament building, Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge.
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The decision has received a mixed response: tourists have expressed disappointment, while local residents have supported the measure.
The situation has been exacerbated by the prolonged heatwave and record-low water levels in the Danube River. As a result, Hungary has been forced to limit production at its only nuclear power plant, which uses river water for cooling.
On Thursday, temperatures reached 40–42 degrees Celsius, significantly higher than the seasonal average for August.
Many Hungarian citizens have described the lighting restrictions as reasonable, particularly after the government asked consumers to reduce their electricity use to ease pressure on the grid.
Similar measures have also been taken in Bucharest. On Wednesday evening, street lighting was reduced by one-third, while the lights at monuments and museums were turned off completely in an effort to save energy. Such measures have also been implemented in other cities across the region.
