Hungary races to keep Paks nuclear plant running amid record low Danube levels
Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- Hungary is making extraordinary efforts to maintain the operation of the Paks nuclear power plant amid historically low Danube river levels.
- Critical days are Tuesday and Wednesday as the water level is expected to drop further, potentially requiring the shutdown of a turbine.
- Measures include opening a sluice gate and sinking barges to increase water flow to the plant's cooling system.
Hungary is undertaking extraordinary efforts to keep the Paks nuclear power plant operational as historically low water levels on the Danube River threaten its cooling system. Prime Minister Peter Szijjarto reported on X that critical days for maintaining operations are Tuesday and Wednesday, with further drops in the Danube's water level expected.
We are currently nine centimeters away from the water level that would require the shutdown of the penultimate turbine. This can only be avoided if the sinking of barges brings the expected results.
"We are currently nine centimeters away from the water level that would require the shutdown of the penultimate turbine," Szijjarto wrote. He added that this could only be avoided if the sinking of barges yields the expected results. He noted that water levels might rise again from Thursday due to rainfall in Austrian catchment areas, while the construction of a riverbed weir is progressing rapidly.
Water management experts have decided to open a sluice gate on the Rakvei-Sorokshari Danube branch on Tuesday. This action will release an additional 20 cubic meters of water per second into the main Danube riverbed, potentially raising the water level at Paks by an additional two centimeters. Simultaneously, two 80-meter-long barges are being slowly sunk, with plans to submerge them by one meter by Tuesday evening, continuing water pumping into their hulls Wednesday morning.
From Thursday, the water level could rise again due to rainfall in Austrian catchment areas, and at the same time, the construction of the weir in the riverbed is progressing with extremely fast dynamics.
Szijjarto also mentioned that the barges are under immense water pressure, positioned crosswise and secured with exceptionally thick steel cables up to 500 meters long. These cables are anchored to 70-centimeter diameter piles driven eight meters deep. He expressed gratitude to the hundreds of experts working tirelessly on-site despite the heat.
Experts in water management have decided to open the sluice gate on the Rakvei-Sorokshari Danube branch tomorrow, and with it, they will 'release' an additional 20 square meters of water per second into the main Danube riverbed, which could bring an additional two centimeters in Paks.
The Paks nuclear power plant is currently operating at reduced capacity due to the severe drought and record-low Danube water levels, which are essential for its cooling processes.
The slow sinking of two barges, 80 meters in length, is underway, and by this evening they will be submerged to one meter, while pumping water into the hulls will continue tomorrow morning.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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