Half of Turbines at Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant Back in Operation

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that the Paks Nuclear Power Plant has restored approximately half of its generating capacity, with full restoration expected to be completed earlier than originally planned. Four of the plant's eight turbines are currently in operation, and restoration efforts are ongoing.

Magyar said on social media that operating conditions at the plant have improved as construction work near the Paks site progresses and the Danube River water level recovers. Based on the current pace, the Paks plant is expected to regain a generating capacity of 2,000 megawatts by Wednesday, which could meet about 35% of Hungary's electricity demand.

Earlier, Unit 3 of the Paks plant was announced to resume power generation ahead of schedule on Saturday evening. Magyar noted that the unit's resumption of power generation is linked to on-site engineering measures and changes in the Danube water level.

On August 12, the Hungarian government decided to construct an underwater riverbed weir near the Paks plant and sink two barges to raise the local water level of the Danube. Since the evening of August 10, the second of the plant's eight turbines has been started, with the plant's output at approximately 480 megawatts at that time, below the planned 2,000 megawatts.