Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant to resume power production Monday evening
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Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant will restart electricity production Monday evening after a weeklong shutdown forced by record-low Danube water levels, Prime Minister Peter Magyar confirmed. The closure, the first in the plant’s 44-year history, had strained Hungary’s power grid during a heatwave, leading authorities to call for voluntary electricity conservation.
The Danube Water Crisis
The Danube River hit its lowest level in nearly 90 years this summer as a prolonged heatwave and lack of rainfall starved the catchment areas. Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant, which draws cooling water from the river, was forced to shut down on August 2 for the first time since 1979, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said. The shutdown left Hungary without its primary source of low-carbon baseload electricity during a period of peak demand.
The Restart Plan
By August 10, water levels had risen 19 centimeters above the previous week’s low point after rains fell in the Austrian catchment area, Magyar said. The reconnection of a turbine began that day, and the No. 3 turbine of the second unit is expected to generate power from Monday evening. The restart follows days of government appeals for voluntary electricity-use reductions to ease grid strain.
Romania’s Nuclear Scramble
Romania’s Cernavoda nuclear plant, also relying on Danube water for cooling, faced a similar crisis. Authorities blasted a rock formation and sank barges filled with rocks to divert the river’s flow and secure enough water for the reactors. The operation succeeded, raising levels at the intake and allowing the second reactor to keep operating for at least nine more days.
What's Next
The Paks plant is expected to gradually return to full output in the coming days, but the heatwave is forecast to persist. Analysts caution that climate-driven water stress could threaten Danube-dependent nuclear plants with fresh shutdowns if dry weather returns, raising long-term energy-security questions.
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Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant to resume power production Monday evening
