Hungarian PM announces measures for raising Danube water levels at Hungary's only nuclear power plant

“We have ordered the immediate construction of a weir on the Danube and have also ordered that simultaneous preparations be made for a temporary solution,” Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced at an extraordinary press briefing on Wednesday.

“Following today’s on-site inspection, and based on the unanimous recommendation of water management, energy, and defense experts, the government has decided to immediately-as early as tomorrow-begin the construction of a weir on the Danube between the river's two banks, specifically, between the Paks Nuclear Power Plant and Dunaszentbenedek, using 35,000 cubic meters of stone in the first phase, followed by an additional 110,000 cubic meters later."

According to the Prime Minister, “within a few weeks”, the investment should ensure “that the water level of the Danube at the nuclear power plant’s cooling channel remains above minus 90 cm, allowing Hungary’s most important power plant to operate at full capacity.” He also announced the government’s decision to "simultaneously place two 80-meter-long barges on standby at Paks, which is necessary due to the anticipated rapid drop in water levels".

“If needed, we will be ready to raise the Danube’s water level by up to 20 centimeters in the short term by the controlled sinking of these two barges, so that a complete shutdown of the Paks power plant can be avoided until the permanent weir is completed.”

Magyar said that the construction of the weir and the readying of the barges will work in conjunction with one another. He believes this to be the most effective and safest solution at this time, and noted that it is supported by experts and authorities alike. The Prime Minister entrusted General Pál Kádár, head of the Defense Administration Office with coordinating the work.

According to the PM, one of the barges needed for the temporary solution will arrive from Mohács as early as tonight, and the second one will be in Paks tomorrow.

In light of the changing climate conditions, the Paks municipal council had previously submitted a proposal to the government, requesting that all possible solutions that would ensure the long-term, safe supply of cooling water for the Paks Nuclear Power Plant be considered. Speaking about the content of the petition, István Barnabás, Deputy Mayor of Paks, said that the local government is not proposing any specific technical solution, but is rather requesting an examination of all viable options and a resolution of the problems stemming from low water levels.

Péter Magyar previously announced that the government would hold a meeting at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant on Wednesday. His Wednesday post revealed that, unlike the government ministers who traveled by bus, he flew to the meeting in a helicopter, as he explained, so that “before important government decisions are made, water management experts and the power plant’s managers could provide an overview of the current situation and outline the long-term solutions proposed by the engineers from above.”

Magyar had announced on Monday that turbine 3 of unit 2 at Hungary's only nuclear power plant had been switched back on, which means that there are now two turbines generating power. This was possible because the Danube’s water level had risen 19 centimeters above the lowest level recorded more than a week ago. Based on current trends, however, the water level is expected to stagnate and remain extremely low following its recent drop; and as experts have warned, going forward, the frequency of droughts is expected to increase, with Hungary's rivers likely to carry very little water in the future.

Telex previously spoke with experts of the field about the effects of the current, historic drought on Hungary's rivers and lakes, and the country's water and energy supply, as well as the potential solutions for the future.