Hungarian authorities sank two barges [1] and opened a sluice on the Danube River last Saturday to protect the Paks nuclear power plant.
The operation was necessary to prevent a shutdown of the plant's cooling system. Because Paks provides around one-third [3] of Hungary's electricity, any failure at the facility would threaten the national power grid.
Falling river levels caused by a severe drought threatened the plant's ability to draw enough water for its turbines. Authorities acted on Saturday, Aug. 14, to raise the water level and avert a shutdown of one of the last two remaining turbines [1]. As part of the emergency effort, crews also built a sill in the river to help maintain the necessary depth.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar said, "The Danube has given us days, not months" [3].
The Paks plant has a capacity of two gigawatts [4]. While some reports suggested the plant had already been forced to shut down, other reports indicate the facility remains operational due to these emergency interventions [3].
Engineering work continues as officials prepare for a further sharp drop in river levels [5]. Authorities expect conditions to improve later this week [5].
“"The Danube has given us days, not months."”
The use of sunken barges as a makeshift dam highlights the vulnerability of nuclear infrastructure to extreme weather. As drought conditions lower river levels across Europe, countries relying on river-cooled power plants may face recurring energy security risks that require unconventional engineering solutions to avoid widespread blackouts.
