Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Plant May Shut Down as Danube Water Levels Fall
Potential Shutdown of Paks Nuclear Plant Due to Low Danube Water Levels
BUDAPEST, July 30 (Reuters) - Hungary's Paks nuclear plant could be powered down on Thursday or Friday because of low water levels on the Danube River, which the plant uses for cooling water, Prime Minister Peter Magyar was quoted as saying by MTI on Thursday.
Current Status of the Paks Nuclear Plant
The plant, which operates four Russian-built reactors with total capacity of 2 gigawatts, started cutting output on Monday and is currently running at less than 50% of capacity because of the low water levels.
Impact of Danube Water Levels
Danube water levels have fallen to record lows this week, disrupting cargo and river cruises along one of Europe's busiest waterways.
Hungary’s Electricity Supply and Contingency Plans
Magyar said that Hungary has import capacity of 3,600 to 3,800 megawatts, which could cover electricity needs in the event of a Paks shutdown.
Possible Shutdown Timeline
"It seems, as things stand, that the complete shutdown of the Paks power plant could take place as early as today, but perhaps more likely tomorrow," Magyar said.
Government Response and Emergency Measures
Magyar said on Wednesday that the government will create a contingency plan and compile a list of large electricity and water consumers — mostly industry players — whose consumption could be limited temporarily in an emergency.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Anita KomuvesEditing by David Goodman)
