Solar Power on Alert as Partial Solar Eclipse Approaches Amid European Heatwave Straining Power Plants

As a severe heatwave sweeping across the European continent has already caused a critical energy crunch, an upcoming solar eclipse that will temporarily halt solar power generation is raising deep concerns over heavy strains on Europe's power grids, the Financial Times (FT) reported on the 8th (local time).

The solar eclipse scheduled for the late afternoon on the 12th is expected to add pressure to European power grids as solar power generation temporarily drops.

A total solar eclipse is set to be observed in northern Spain and northeastern Portugal, while a partial solar eclipse covering 90% of the sun is expected in most parts of the UK, France, and northern Italy.

According to Spain's grid operator Red Electrica, solar power supply in Spain is projected to plummet by up to 5 GW (gigawatts) due to this eclipse.

This accounts for about 13% of Spain's average electricity demand on a Wednesday in August.

France's power company RTE also estimated that electricity supply across Europe will drop by 9.3 GW for two hours starting at 7:30 PM when the eclipse reaches its peak.

The power supplied by a single nuclear reactor is roughly around 1 GW.

This means the aftermath of the eclipse could result in a drop in electricity supply equivalent to nine nuclear reactors shutting down simultaneously in Europe.

Since the sunset time in France on the scheduled day of the eclipse is after 9 PM, the sun will still be up in the sky during the eclipse.

Europe is facing a severe power crisis this summer.

As heatwaves and droughts have lowered water levels in rivers necessary for cooling nuclear and thermal power plants, plant operations have been suspended in countries such as Hungary, Romania, France, Italy, and Poland.

Hungarian Prime Minister Magyar Peter wrote on X that the 2 GW Paks nuclear plant, which is cooled by water from the Danube River, came within "a few millimeters" of being shut down on the evening of the 4th before water levels subsequently rose, allowing operations to continue.

Romania even mobilized explosives to divert the course of the Danube River toward the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, a core energy source, barely avoiding a suspension of operations.

In Poland, two large thermal power plants were shut down because water levels in the Vistula River dropped.

In France, three nuclear reactors have been halted due to difficulties in securing cooling water.

Furthermore, Norway, a major electricity exporter in Europe, has also seen water levels in its hydroelectric reservoirs drop to a 30-year low.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.