Another scorching heat wave is going to hit northwest and central Europe this week, putting further pressure on the continent's strained power infrastructure.
On Friday, soaring temperatures are expected to hit the UK, Germany and France -- nearly 36 degrees Celsius 96.8 Fahrenheit - according to Maxar Technologies LLC. The heat will increase demand for cooling, aggravating already dry conditions that hurt crops and force limits on water use.
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Extreme heat has already taken its toll on the continent, with France registering the driest July on record and England registering the driest in almost 90 years, underscoring the impact that a warming climate is having on vital infrastructure. Water levels on the Rhine River are so low that trade is at risk of coming to a stop on some sections of the waterway.
The weather has sparked a series of fires near London, warnings that railway lines could buckle and forced power stations to operate at low levels to prevent overheating. In France, regulators granted Electricite de France SA a temporary waiver for five nuclear plants to discharge hot water into rivers that may breach environmental standards as the nation struggles with an energy crisis.
Although temperatures aren't likely to reach the record breaking levels set in July, the heat wave comes amid a historic energy-supply crunch as Russia tightens its grip on natural gas flows to the region. The crisis has led to soaring inflation that could tip some of Europe's largest economies into a recession. Power prices in Germany and France have risen to new all time highs in the last few days.
The heat is expected to peak at 31.5 degrees Celsius in London by Friday and 32.5 degrees in Frankfurt, according to Maxar.
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