Rising Waters: Hungary's Response to Drought Challenges

Hungarian authorities plan to submerge barges in the Danube to elevate water levels for the Paks nuclear plant, which operates at 25% due to drought. The situation highlights the impact of climate change on European power production. A riverbed sill will be constructed for longer-term water management.

Hungarian officials are poised to submerge two barges in the Danube River to boost water levels at the Paks nuclear plant, Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced Friday. This comes as the plant operates at a mere 25% capacity due to unprecedented drought-induced low water levels.

The drought has severely disrupted power production across Europe, prompting Romania to shut down its last working reactor. The crisis underscores the urgent need to adapt nuclear energy to increasingly extreme climate conditions.

In response, Hungary plans to construct a riverbed 'sill' to control water flow—a process that will take weeks. Meanwhile, the temporary submersion of the barges aims to maintain plant operations by increasing the Danube's water level, allowing more effective cooling for the plant's turbines.