Prime Minister Péter Magyar says electricity generation at Unit 3 of Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Power Plant could resume as early as Saturday evening, following a rise in the Danube’s water level and emergency works carried out near the plant.
Third reactor block could restart ahead of schedule
“Thanks to the construction works at Paks and the rising water level of the Danube, production in Unit 3 could resume today, earlier than planned,” Magyar said in a Saturday Facebook post. The prime minister added that the reconnection of the unit would be shown live from Paks on Saturday evening.
The announcement comes after weeks of concern over the exceptionally low water level of the Danube, which threatened the cooling capacity of the nuclear power plant. The facility relies on water from the river for cooling, and the record-low levels reached earlier this month forced several units to be taken offline.
Emergency measures raised the river level
The Hungarian government responded by ordering the construction of a submerged weir, or bottom sill, near the plant and deploying barges in the riverbed to help raise the water level at the facility’s intake.
According to Magyar, the measures have already increased the water level by around 15 centimetres. Construction of the bottom sill is also progressing rapidly, with 231 metres reportedly completed along the left bank.
The two barges placed in the Danube on 15 August have since been removed from their submerged position after the operation successfully increased the water level above them. The intervention has allowed the two turbines that remained in operation to continue generating electricity, avoiding a complete shutdown of the plant.
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Paks gradually returning to full capacity
The nuclear power plant was severely affected by the Danube’s low water level at the beginning of August. From 2 August, only the turbines of Unit 2 were operating at full capacity, although two turbines were able to return to operation on 10 August as water levels improved.
Magyar previously said that the remaining inactive units would be gradually reconnected from midnight on Sunday, with the entire facility potentially returning to full capacity by Thursday or Friday next week.
The latest announcement suggests that the restart of Unit 3 could now come earlier than that timetable.
The development follows a prolonged period of extreme heat and exceptionally low Danube water levels, which had raised concerns over Hungary’s electricity supply and the operation of one of the country’s most important power-generating facilities.
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Emergency river works continue
The rapid construction of the bottom sill and the use of barges have become a key part of efforts to secure sufficient cooling water for the Paks plant.
The government approved the construction of the bottom sill on 12 August, with work beginning shortly afterwards. The emergency intervention is intended to provide a more stable water level at the plant’s cooling-water intake while the Danube remains unusually low.
Minister: Construction of Danube riverbed sill is progressing faster than planned
Construction of the Danube riverbed sill is progressing faster than planned, and the water level is rising, the defense minister wrote in a brief update posted on his Facebook page on Saturday from Dunaszentbenedek. Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi reported that all water had been pumped out of the barges and that the process of sinking them had been completed.
“The pumps are currently being dismantled; until this work is completed, the barges will remain at their original anchorage points. Afterwards, they are scheduled to begin construction of the riverbed sill on the right bank, as the water flow and the already constructed riverbed sill ensure the water level necessary for the safe operation of the nuclear power plant,” the minister added.
The minister noted that construction of the riverbed sill is also continuing on the left bank of the Danube. He added that work on the left bank has been completed over a 231-meter stretch, reaching the concrete blocks that had been previously placed in the river. He noted that nearly 4,000 cubic meters of stone had been installed, weighing a total of 6,200 metric tons.
Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi emphasised that a continuous supply of stone is being ensured for the work, and that five civilian vehicles are being driven by soldiers between the quarry and the depot.
“People, machines, and materials are working around the clock,” the minister stated. He added that the task remains to construct, reinforce, and complete the work.
“We are working to ensure that Hungarian households have electricity, that water flows from the taps, and that Hungary’s nuclear safety is guaranteed under all circumstances,” the minister emphasised in his post, noting that this is not simply a technical task, but a matter of the country’s functioning and security.
