Hungarys Paks nuclear plant back at full capacity after Danube water crisis

Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant returned to full capacity on Wednesday, with all four reactors and eight turbines operating at maximum output of 2,000 megawatts, Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced on Facebook. The development followed weeks of reduced operations caused by historically low water levels in the Danube River, which had threatened the plant’s cooling systems and forced a near-total shutdown in early August.

Magyar confirmed in his post that the plant had “reached its maximum capacity” and that all components were functioning flawlessly. He credited the efforts of energy and water management experts, as well as accelerated construction of a new riverbed sill near Paks, for the recovery. The sill’s construction, intended to stabilize water levels, progressed faster than planned, according to Magyar’s statement .

The plant’s output had been severely constrained since late July, with water levels in the Danube dropping so low that cooling water pumps could barely function. By Aug. 1, only one turbine in Block 1 remained operational, producing just 480 megawatts—less than a quarter of the plant’s normal capacity. The crisis forced Hungary to rely heavily on electricity imports to meet domestic demand, as the Paks plant typically supplies about half of the country’s electricity generation and one-third of its total consumption.

Hungary’s grid operator lifted its crisis classification for the power system on Wednesday, stating that the restored generation capacity and reserves ensured stable supply under normal conditions . The gradual restart of the plant’s turbines began on Aug. 10, with the final units coming back online this week. A minor technical issue on Tuesday evening briefly reduced output in one block, but the problem was resolved within two hours, according to reports .

The Paks plant, located on the right bank of the Danube about 100 kilometers south of Budapest, is Hungary’s only commercial nuclear facility. Its four VVER-440 reactors, each with a capacity of 500 megawatts, are cooled using water from the river. The Danube’s water level at Paks was measured at minus 106 centimeters on Wednesday .