Hungary Paks nuclear plant to reach full capacity by Wednesday

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Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant, which provides nearly half of the nation’s electricity, restarted its third reactor following a period of restricted output. Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced that the 2-gigawatt facility was expected to return to full capacity by Wednesday after operating at roughly 10% capacity due to record-low water levels on the Danube. To maintain operations and avoid a full shutdown, the government utilized two sunken barges and constructed a riverbed sill to regulate coolant flow from the river. As of Sunday, four of the plant's eight turbines were operational, producing approximately 800 megawatts of electricity.

Consequences

The return to full capacity by Wednesday is expected to restore the plant to its 2,000-megawatt production level, mitigating the risk of a total power disruption caused by the recent drought. Continued reliance on the Danube for cooling remains a factor in the facility's stability, necessitating the government's ongoing engineering efforts at the river site.

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