The Prime Minister of Serbia, Đuro Macut, has issued an appeal urging the public to try to rationalise their electricity and water consumption over the next few days. Speaking after yesterday’s meeting of the Crisis Response Team, he stated that the energy situation remains completely stable, adding that work is also underway to ensure the navigability of the Danube.
He emphasised that the Government is striving to ensure citizens do not feel the impact of the low water levels, noting that no restrictions have been imposed on the public.
“The situation is not trivial, but it is not alarming to that extent either. The population will not suffer at this moment, but the recommendation and request remain for us to consume our resources rationally right now. This is a global crisis across Europe caused by a severe drought and low water levels – in other words, low rainfall. Over the weekend, there was rainfall in Germany and Bavaria, but that does not significantly affect the Danube’s water levels. We are facing a problem that is unprecedented in the modern history of our country, as well as Central Europe,” Macut said.
The electricity supply in Serbia is stable and the situation is significantly better than in the wider region. However, due to the prolonged heatwave and the low level of the Danube, calls are being made for power saving and rational consumption, stated Duško Aničić, Executive Director for Operations and Market at the Elektromreža Srbije Company (EMS).
“The greatest challenge occurs in the evening when the sun sets and solar power generation drops to zero. That is the critical moment for all system operators to balance consumption and production,” Aničić told RTS, Tanjug reports. He noted that regarding consumer supply, the situation in Serbia is much better than in neighbouring countries.
“We are currently pumping electricity into our pumped-storage hydroelectric plant lake, which we can utilise during peak demand in the evening,” Aničić added. According to him, the largest importers of electricity at present are Italy, Hungary, Austria, parts of Germany, and Croatia. Serbia is importing less, doing so during the morning hours when power is cheapest, and storing that energy in reserves. Aničić highlighted that while a red weather warning is in place, all available EMS field teams are on 24-hour standby to respond promptly to any supply issues. He noted that during this period, scheduled maintenance work is postponed, and all transmission lines are brought online to ensure the grid operates at full capacity.
Miloš Mladenović, Executive Director of the SEPEPEX electricity exchange in Serbia, told Politika that the price of a megawatt-hour (MWh) reached up to €550 in the evening between 8:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Yesterday, it hovered at around €500, though he added that power remains available for purchase on the exchange.
“There are over 50 traders selling power on the exchange – it isn’t just ‘Elektroprivreda Srbije’, but others as well. Yesterday’s average price per megawatt-hour for today ranged from €174 to €185, depending on whether it was day-ahead or same-day trading. Last week, the situation was slightly better, with average prices ranging between €105 and €115 per MWh. SEPEPEX fully reflects the electricity situation not only domestically, but across the region, where the overall situation is difficult due to river levels. Further announcements regarding the potential shutdown of nuclear power plants due to a shortage of cooling water for reactors are adding further pressure to supplies and prices. In Hungary, the price per megawatt-hour for today is €178 – roughly on par with ours,” our interviewee noted.
“Due to the ongoing heatwave, these prices are expected to remain elevated or even rise in the coming days, which is realistic until river levels stabilise and this scorching spell subsides,” Mladenović said.
Regarding water supply and operations at the Pančevo Oil Refinery, sources unofficially confirm that the situation is under control. However, due to low water levels on the Danube, the facility could face difficulties drawing sufficient water quantities, which directly threatens the operational stability of key processes and risks temporary production halts. Water is essential to the refinery for basic technological and safety processes. It is required for fire safety systems, as well as for cooling systems designed to lower temperatures in high-heat processes. Steam is critical for plant operation and driving turbines, while water is directly involved in several stages of the oil refining process. Meanwhile, crude oil has continued to arrive via the JANAF pipeline to Pančevo, as NIS’s licence has been extended until 28 August.
Furthermore, the average capacity of a 1,600-tonne barge has now been reduced to around 25 to 30 per cent of its cargo capacity, requiring 145 barges to deliver the necessary volume of crude oil. A single barge replaces 25 rail tankers and 60 road tankers carrying oil.
Hungary switches off advertising lights
At the same time, reports from Hungary indicate that the country is preparing for electricity-saving measures. As of yesterday at 5:00 pm, public advertising displays and billboards were switched off, according to the Hungarian Advertising Association (HVG). The measure applies to over a thousand advertising spaces nationwide, including digital displays, backlighting, and illuminated rooftop advertisements in both Budapest and regional areas, agency MTI reports.
The government task force decided that, for now, there is no need to restrict electricity consumption for industrial users. Over three hundred companies have so far announced they will voluntarily curtail their energy usage by a total of 400 megawatts, with an additional 270 firms expected to join this group of socially responsible businesses. The Hungarian national railway company announced it would suspend rail freight traffic yesterday and today between 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Citizens across Hungary have also contributed to nationwide power-saving efforts, earning thanks from the Government for their responsible behaviour and cooperation.
(Politika, 04.08.2026)
https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/776131/gradani-nece-trpeti-zbog-niskog-vodostaja-dunava