Extreme Temperatures Sweep Central and Eastern Europe, Slovakia Hits 42 Degrees and Poland Faces Energy Problems

Central and Eastern Europe has been gripped by a powerful heatwave, bringing new temperature records and serious consequences in several countries.

In the Dolné Plachtince area, the temperature reached 42 degrees Celsius, setting a new national record for Slovakia. Exceptionally high temperatures were also reported in Austria and Hungary, while authorities are grappling with the effects of a prolonged drought.

The heat and the critically low water level in the Vistula River created difficulties for Poland’s energy system. Authorities were forced to temporarily suspend operations at two coal-fired power plants, Kozienice and Połaniec, removing around 1.3 gigawatts of capacity from the country’s power grid.

In response to the situation, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged employers to protect workers during the high temperatures by providing them with cold water and cool spaces.

Meanwhile, climate activists in Germany staged a protest outside the Chancellery and called for additional measures to address the effects of extreme temperatures. The Robert Koch Institute estimates that around 11,900 people have died as a result of the heat this summer.

Experts warn that the risk of wildfires is increasing across the continent because of record temperatures, drought and a lack of rainfall. Data from the European Forest Fire Information System show that around 500,000 hectares of land have burned in the European Union since the beginning of the year, mainly in Spain and France.

The situation is also particularly serious in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where conditions conducive to wildfires have surpassed previous records for this time of year.

According to environmental experts, climate change has intensified both the extreme heatwave and the drought. They warn that pressure on energy infrastructure and water resources will continue to increase in the coming years.