Hungary’s Nuclear Power Returns as Rain Lifts Danube Water Levels

Hungary anticipates its sole nuclear power plant, Paks, to commence electricity generation as early as Monday evening, following the activation of one of its turbines, announced Prime Minister Peter Magyar. The neighboring Romania has been grappling with power supply challenges in recent weeks, as a combination of heatwaves and insufficient rainfall this summer has plunged the Danube to its lowest levels in nearly nine decades.

Consequently, both Hungary and Romania were compelled to reduce the nuclear power output of their respective plants, which rely on the river's water for reactor cooling. On August 2, Magyar confirmed that Hungary had closed the Paks Nuclear Power Plant for the first time in 44 years due to the persistent decline in the Danube's water level.

River levels began to climb at the end of last week as rain began falling in Austria, one of Europe's principal river catchments. Magyar reported on Thursday that the Danube had surpassed the Sunday low point by nine centimeters, and additional rainfall was anticipated in Austria. Despite the encouraging news about rising water levels, Hungary has persistently urged voluntary reductions in electricity consumption amid a continent-wide heatwave.

On Monday, Magyar reported that the Danube's water level had risen 19 centimeters above the low point from a week prior. The reconnection of Paks' turbine has commenced, with the No. 3 turbine of unit two expected to generate power from the evening. Romania, another nation dependent on nuclear power from a Danube plant, employed an innovative solution last week by blasting a rock formation and sinking barges filled with rocks to divert the Danube's flow and ensure adequate water supply for cooling the reactors at its Cernavoda nuclear plant.

The operation proved successful, enabling the second reactor to operate for a minimum of nine more days. Tsvetana Paraskova reported for Oilprice.com.