Serbia in Trouble Due to the Danube: Largest Hydroelectric Plant at a Quarter Capacity
Historically low Danube water levels and a heat wave threaten electricity production, with exchange prices exceeding 500 euros per megawatt-hour.
Historically low Danube water levels and a heat wave threaten electricity production, with exchange prices exceeding 500 euros per megawatt-hour.
Record-low water levels on the Danube and an unprecedented heat wave have created a serious energy crisis in Serbia. The country's largest hydroelectric plant, Djerdap, is operating at only a quarter of its capacity, and Serbia's Ministry of Mining and Energy called on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, for "full commitment from everyone in the energy sector" to maintain the security of electricity supply.
Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović stated that water inflows at Djerdap are being managed in coordination with the Romanian side. She revealed that on Monday, August 3, inflows fell to a historic low of just 1,450 cubic meters per second. Due to unfavorable hydrological conditions along the entire course of the Danube, electricity production from Serbia's hydropower sector has significantly declined.
The situation is somewhat better on the Drina River, where the reversible hydropower plant Perućac is located. According to the minister, the artificial lake on Mount Tara currently holds 140 gigawatts of reserves. She assessed that this amount of energy is "sufficient to respond in case of unforeseen circumstances."
In these extraordinary circumstances, Serbia is relying on its significant coal-fired thermal power plant capacities. Key roles are played by the thermal power plants in Kostolac and, especially, the Nikola Tesla Thermal Power Plant in Obrenovac, which comprises four units and annually produces more than 50 percent of the electricity needed by the domestic market.
The situation is further complicated by a spike in exchange prices. On Monday, August 3, electricity prices were above 500 euros per megawatt-hour, a level not seen since the last energy crisis in 2022. "Everything that is not produced will have to be paid for, which is why it is essential to plan and monitor the situation as much as possible, with the necessary commitment of all employees in the energy sector," emphasized Minister Đedović Handanović.
Meteorological forecasts are not in favor of the energy sector. All of Serbia is under a red weather alert on Tuesday, with temperatures ranging from 37 to 39 degrees Celsius, especially in the north of the country. Hot weather is expected until the end of the week, with maximum temperatures between 36 and 39 degrees. Meteorologists warn that during the peak of the heat wave, with direct sun exposure, the perceived temperature could reach up to 48 degrees.
Even the mountains offer no respite from the heat. On Zlatibor, in western Serbia, 30 degrees was measured around noon today, and in the coming days, it is expected to be one degree higher. The extent of the drought on the Danube is vividly illustrated by photographs of the historically low water levels taken in Vukovar.
