Severe drought in Europe affects power production

    High temperatures and severe drought in Europe this summer have affected hydro, nuclear and solar power generation. Statistics from the Norwegian consulting firm Rystad Energy show that in the first seven months of this year, Europe's hydropower generation decreased by 20% compared with the same period last year, and nuclear power generation decreased by 12% Home Solar Appliances.

    High temperatures lead to increased evaporation in rivers, lakes and reservoirs, lowering water levels, and hydropower bearing the brunt. In Italy, for example, hydropower accounts for 20% of the country's total electricity production, but the country's hydropower production has plummeted by 40% in the past 12 months. Hydropower production in Spain also plunged by 44%.

    Energy analyst Fabien Langningen said that although hydropower production fluctuates widely, the 40% drop is "very extreme", not only in local areas, but all European hydropower majors have not been spared.

    Energy exporter Norway has warned that it may have to stop exporting energy to countries such as the UK if the country's reservoirs fail to recover.

    Insufficient investment in hydropower infrastructure and aging transmission lines are also reasons for the decline in hydropower production, some hydropower industry experts say.

    Eddie Ritchie, an expert at the International Hydropower Association, said: "We are going to have (power) problems this winter. This should be a wake-up call for us to invest more in infrastructure in the next few years."