A slight rise in the Danube River's water level has temporarily eased pressure on Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant, allowing its last operating reactor to continue running safely after the facility came close to a complete shutdown, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said.
The Russian-built Paks nuclear plant, Hungary's only nuclear power station, has been gradually reducing output over the past week as record-low water levels in the Danube, caused by severe drought, limited its ability to use river water for cooling, Reuters reports.
According to Magyar, the plant was operating at just over 10% of its total capacity on August 4, with only one of its four turbines remaining online, generating around 240 megawatts. The facility had been expected to shut down completely later this week as water levels were forecast to decline further.
"Around 1:30 a.m. we were only a few millimetres away from the full powering down of the Paks nuclear plant but then the decline in the water level stopped and it rose 1.5 centimetres by the morning," Magyar said in a Facebook post before travelling to the plant south of Budapest.
Large parts of Europe have experienced prolonged heat and drought in recent weeks, reducing river levels and raising concerns over water supplies, inland shipping and electricity generation.
The 2-gigawatt Paks plant produces more than 40% of Hungary's electricity. If forced to remain offline for an extended period, Hungary would likely need to increase electricity imports.
The government has also appealed for voluntary reductions in electricity consumption, with households and more than 300 companies cutting power use to help ease pressure on the national grid. Magyar has previously warned that the current week would be critical as high temperatures persist.
Looking ahead, the prime minister said significant rainfall was expected over the Austrian section of the Danube on August 6, which could raise water levels downstream.
He also said authorities should consider switching to "other cooling methods" for the plant to reduce its dependence on the river during periods of extreme drought.
By Sabina Mammadli
