Paks Nuclear Power Plant Returns to Full Capacity Ahead of Schedule

Three out of four blocks at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant are now producing electricity at full capacity, according to Prime Minister Péter Magyar. The plant is expected to reach its full output of nearly 2,000 megawatts within two days. This recovery comes earlier than planned, as the facility had previously seen a significant reduction in operations due to low water levels in the Danube River.

The restoration of power was made possible by a rising Danube water level and specific emergency measures. These included the construction of a Sohlschwelle using approximately 150,000 cubic meters of rubble and the sinking of two 80 meter long barges to artificially raise the water level for cooling. Defense Minister Romulusz Ruzsin-Szendi noted that the military assisted in the construction, emphasizing that the operation was critical for national security and functionality.

Prior to this recovery, only Block 2 was operating at a reduced capacity of 25 percent. Because the Paks plant provides nearly half of Hungary's electricity, the outage forced the country to import more power. Economists suggest the production drop could have a measurable impact on Hungary's GDP, though some believe the effect may be mitigated by typical summer holiday production slowdowns.

Reporting on the event differed slightly by political lean. The center leaning coverage focused on the technical progress and the timeline for returning to full capacity. In contrast, the center-right leaning coverage provided more detail on the emergency engineering measures used to raise the water level and analyzed the potential macroeconomic consequences of the power loss.