Paks nuclear plant cuts output amid Danube heatwave concerns
Due to the high water temperature in the Danube, the nuclear power plant in Paks, central Hungary, has reduced production by 240 MW, according to its official website on Friday. The previous day, the ministry allowed the limits on heating water discharged from the power plant into the river to be exceeded.
The water temperature in the Danube reached 30°C on Friday at the measurement section of the nuclear power plant in Paks, and therefore, the power plant operator reported that production in three of the four units will be reduced by 240 MW.
The first production restrictions of 80 MW in one of the units took place due to the heat already on Thursday. In the second half of the week, the air temperature in Paks and the surrounding areas reached 38°C.
The Minister received new powers
A decree was published in the Hungarian Official Journal on Thursday evening. According to it, the Minister of Energy decides if the water in the Danube is too warm for reactor cooling. The new regulations came into force on Friday.
The previous regulations stated that the cooling water discharged into the Danube should not exceed 30°C. According to the Thursday decree, this limit can be exceeded by a ministry decision to ensure the continuity of energy supply.
"This change is not good news for the Danube, its wildlife, and the environment as a whole," commented the Telex portal on Friday. The government’s regulatory adjustment has sparked protests from Hungarian NGOs involved in environmental protection.
Key power plant
The only Hungarian nuclear power plant in Paks, central Hungary, has four active units with a total capacity of 2000 MW, which covers over 40% of the country's electricity needs. The plant began operating in the mid-1980s, and its decommissioning was planned for the mid-2030s. However, the government in Budapest wants to extend its operation by another 20 years.
The Russian state-owned corporation Rosatom is expanding the power plant with two new units of 1200 MW each. This is one of Viktor Orban's government's key energy projects. The total investment is estimated at around 10 billion pounds, with 80% of the costs covered by a Russian loan.
