Low Danube Levels Force Hungarian Reactor Shutdown

The Paks Nuclear Power Plant in Hungary will shut down one of its four reactors on Wednesday due to record-low water levels in the Danube, from which it draws cooling water, its operator, MVM, announced.

The plant, which has four Russian-made reactors with a total capacity of two gigawatts, accounts for nearly half of Hungary's electricity production. On Monday, it had already reduced the output of another unit by 254 megawatts.

After the reactor is shut down, the plant will operate at approximately 60% of its capacity. This is the latest measure following June's heatwave, when authorities temporarily granted an exemption from the limits on the temperature of discharged cooling water.

Meanwhile, the Danube's water level has fallen to a new record low, disrupting both cargo and passenger shipping on one of Europe's busiest waterways.

Environment Minister Laszlo Gajdos said that water management authorities are prepared to ensure a sufficient supply of cooling water for the power plant. Four pumping pontoons and two floating cranes have been deployed near Paks and can be put into operation if the river level drops further in the coming days.

(Reuters, bak)