Hungary's nuclear plant shutdown due to low Danube gets reprieve until later in week

Hungary's Paks nuclear plant may operate at reduced capacity until Tuesday, easing pressure on the electricity grid, before being completely powered down due to low Danube river water levels.

Hungary's Paks nuclear plant could ‌operate ​at its current reduced capacity until Monday or Tuesday, easing pressure on the electricity grid as the country faces a "critical" five days starting on ‌Monday, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said.

However, the plant is expected to be completely powered down later this week as water levels on the Danube river, whose waters it uses as a coolant, are projected to fall ‌further. The 2-gigawatt Paks power plant, which normally generates about half of the country's electricity, was running ‌at just over 10% of its capacity on Monday after the Danube fell to a record low.

"Today, and maybe tomorrow the last turbine producing 240 megawatts can keep working," Magyar said. "This is very good news, as the complete shutdown of the plant ⁠can ​be avoided on one ⁠of the days with the highest consumption," he said.

Large parts of Europe have been hit by prolonged heat and drought, lowering ⁠river levels and raising concerns about water supplies, river transport and power generation. "The most critical five days are starting ​now ... The energy grid and the water supply are under increasing strain," Magyar said in a ⁠Facebook video.

As the Paks nuclear plant is gradually powered down, Hungary will increase its reliance on imports as the heatwave is expected ⁠to ​boost demand for electricity. Magyar said on Monday that voluntary cuts in power usage by households and companies made after a government appeal reduced demand by 700 MW on Sunday - equal to the ⁠output of one and a half reactors in Paks - significantly easing pressure on the electric grid.

Adding to voluntary ⁠cuts by other ⁠companies, pharma company Richter said on Monday that it would reduce its electricity consumption by more than 50% in the next three weeks, and offered a daily ‌4 MW of ‌electricity produced by its solar energy park.