When the rivers stop flowing: Europe’s drought summer measured

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Europe experienced a severe drought from April to July 2026, affecting river flows from the Rhine delta to the lower Danube and reducing hydropower and nuclear plant output significantly. Gas imports and wet conditions in Iberia partially offset energy shortfalls, but power prices increased steadily during this period.

River-flow, generation and price data from April to July 2026 point to a drought corridor stretching from the Rhine delta to the lower Danube. Hydropower output across the corridor was about one-fifth below the recent norm, falling by a third to a half in the worst-hit systems. Nuclear plants along the Danube also cut output as river flows dropped to their lowest levels in seven years. Gas, imports and unusually wet conditions in Iberia helped offset the shortfall, but at steadily rising prices. The post When the rivers stop flowing: Europe’s drought summer measured appeared first on pv magazine Global.