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Hungary shuts sole nuclear plant as Danube water levels hit
The Paks plant produced about 40% of Hungary’s electricity, and the facility is operating at just over a tenth of its roughly 2,000 megawatt capacity before the full shutdown.
Hungary began a full shutdown of its sole nuclear power plant, the Paks facility, citing record low water levels on the Danube River that are leaving insufficient water for reactor cooling. According to SCMP Economy, the last operating reactor powered down later on Sunday after one reactor was taken offline earlier that day.
The plant’s cooling water shortage is tied to sustained drought across much of central Europe, pushing Hungary into what the outlet describes as uncharted territory for a 44-year nuclear history. During the period leading up to the shutdown, the plant was operating at a little over a tenth of its 2,000 megawatt capacity, SCMP Economy reported.
Paks, located about 120 km south of Budapest, accounts for about 40% of Hungary’s electricity generation, meaning the closure raises pressure on the country’s energy supply. SCMP Economy also noted that neighboring Romania ordered a state of alert in its energy sector after reducing output at its own nuclear plant.