Resilient Reactors: Paks Nuclear Plant Expansion Overcomes Danube Challenges

Rosatom announced that the Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary will expand to handle lower Danube water levels. Supplying almost half of Hungary's electricity, the plant struggled during August's low river levels. The 12.5-billion-euro project includes solutions for such scenarios, aiming for completion despite previous delays.

Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, revealed plans on Monday for an expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary, designed to operate efficiently even during low water levels in the Danube river.

The Paks plant, a crucial source of electricity for Hungary, faced significant challenges when river levels dropped during a heatwave in August, limiting its operation to just 10% of its capacity.

Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev assured that the 12.5-billion-euro project, which includes the installation of two Russian-made VVER reactors, integrates strategies to overcome water shortages, aiming to proceed despite years of delays since the contract was awarded in 2014 without a competitive tender.