The construction of the underwater weir in the Danube near the Paks nuclear plant, aimed at raising the water levels to ensure supply for the plant, is proceeding on either side of the river on schedule, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Facebook on Saturday.
Fully 5,000 tonnes of stone was delivered to Paks on Saturday alone, Magyar said. Earlier on Saturday, Magyar told a press conference near the cold-water channel of the Paks nuclear power plant that, despite the forecasted drop in water levels, the water level at the plant had risen due to the positioning of two 80-metre barges.
He reported that the controlled scuttling of the barges had begun, and the water level at the pumping station had already risen by 1 centimetre, even as the main branch of the Danube continued to recede.
Magyar emphasised that without intervention, the Danube’s water level would drop so low by Sunday night that one of the two remaining operational turbines would have to be shut down, eventually leading to a complete shutdown.
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The cabinet decided on Wednesday to begin the Paks investment project to raise the Danube’s water level, based on submitted plans, expected water level data, and meteorological forecasts. The work consists of two parts: constructing a riverbed sill using 145,000 cubic metres of stone and positioning, securing, rotating, and scuttling two 80-metre barges side by side.
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