Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Water levels in southern Norway's natural reservoirs have fallen to their lowest point in more than 30 years, largely due to prolonged dry weather and below-average rainfall, AzerNEWS reports.

Reservoirs in the region are currently just over 53% full, significantly lower than normal seasonal levels. These water reserves are especially important because Norway generates the vast majority of its electricity from hydroelectric power, making reservoir levels a key factor in the country's energy security.

Despite the historic decline, Energy Minister Terje Aasland said there is currently no reason for concern and dismissed fears that Norway could face electricity shortages during the upcoming winter.

The situation highlights the growing impact of extreme weather on Europe's energy sector. Earlier this year, Romania and Hungary also faced risks to electricity generation as critically low water levels in the Danube River threatened the operation of nuclear power plants that rely on river water for cooling.

Experts note that increasingly frequent droughts linked to climate change are putting additional pressure on both hydroelectric and nuclear energy systems, forcing many European countries to rethink long-term strategies for energy resilience.