Three units at Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant return to full-capacity operation

Of the four units at Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant, three have returned to full-capacity operation, and grid connection work for Unit 4 is also progressing as planned. Hungarian authorities stated that all eight pumping systems at the plant are now in operation, with total generating capacity expected to approach 2,000 megawatts within two days.

Previously, three units at the Paks plant were temporarily shut down due to declining water levels in the Danube River, which serves as a vital water source for the plant's cooling system. To improve water intake conditions, Hungary constructed a temporary weir in the river section near the Paks plant, using thousands of tons of rock and crushed stone during construction, with military engineering units also participating in the operations.

Located on the banks of the Danube approximately 100 kilometers south of Budapest, the Paks Nuclear Power Plant accounts for about 45% of Hungary's electricity generation and 36% of its electricity consumption. The plant currently operates four VVER-440 reactor units, all built in the 1980s using Soviet technology.

The Paks II expansion project is underway, with plans to build Units 5 and 6 using the Paks II scheme developed with the participation of Russia's Rosatom. According to the plan, the two new units will be equipped with third-generation enhanced VVER-1200 reactors, expected to be connected to the grid in the early 2030s. Upon completion, the installed capacity of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant will increase from the current approximately 2,000 megawatts to 4,400 megawatts.