--- title: "Critical Shallowing of the Danube: Paks NPP on the Brink of Shutdown, Hungary Takes Emergency Measures" description: "🚨 Hungary on the brink of energy collapse: Paks NPP operating at 25% capacity due to drought. PM Orbán organized the sinking of barges and construction of underwater dams to raise the Danube level. A complete shutdown of the plant will cost the country $159 million per month. Romania has already shut down its Cernavodă NPP for the same reason. ⚡️📉 #Hungary #NuclearPower #Energy #Drought" date: 2026-08-15T11:10:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/critical-shallowing-of-the-danube-paks-npp-on-the-brink-of-shutdown tags: [hungary, nuclear-energy, drought, paksh-npp, economy, energy-crisis] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Critical Shallowing of the Danube: Paks NPP on the Brink of Shutdown, Hungary Takes Emergency Measures ![Critical low water levels of the Danube River: view of the Paks NPP against exposed sandy banks](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/15/obmelenie-dunaya-aez-paksh-na-grani-ostanovki/obmelenie-dunaya-aez-paksh-na-grani-ostanovki-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Paks NPP reduces output to 485 MW due to the drop in the Danube's water level - Hungary has sunk barges and is building underwater barriers to save the plant - A complete shutdown of the NPP threatens losses of 50 billion forints per month - Romanian Cernavodă NPP has already been shut down due to low water levels ### Energy Crisis on the Danube: Paks NPP Reduces Output to Critical Levels Hungary is facing an unprecedented challenge to its energy security. The Paks Nuclear Power Plant, a pillar of the national energy system providing about 40% of the country's total electricity generation, is under threat of a complete shutdown. The cause is a catastrophic drought that has swept across Central Europe during the summer of 2026, leading to a sharp drop in the water level of the Danube River. Currently, the station, capable of generating up to 2000 megawatts, is operating in emergency mode, producing only 485 megawatts. Experts warn that without intervention within the coming days, the operation of all reactors will be at risk. ### Emergency Measures: Sinking Barges and Building Underwater Barriers Hungarian authorities have been forced to resort to radical methods to save energy generation. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán personally commented on the situation, announcing the start of an operation to artificially raise the water level. As a first measure, two barges were sunk in close proximity to the NPP's pumping station. According to the Prime Minister, this step has already yielded visible results: the water level at the pumps has risen by approximately one centimeter. However, this is insufficient to normalize operations. Parallel to sinking the barges, specialists have begun constructing an underwater barrier. The engineering task is to slow the river's flow in the critical section to create a local reservoir with a higher water level, necessary for effective reactor cooling. It is expected that approximately 5,000 metric tons of stones will be delivered to the work site within the day to reinforce this temporary structure. ### Economic Consequences and Regional Impact A complete shutdown of the Paks NPP carries colossal economic risks for Hungary. According to estimates by the state company MVM (which manages the NPP), keeping the station in a non-operational state will cost the budget no less than 50 billion forints (approximately $159 million) per month. These costs do not include potential losses for industrial enterprises that may face an electricity deficit. In the event of a shutdown, Hungary will be forced to sharply increase electricity imports, especially during peak evening hours, making the country vulnerable to fluctuations in the European energy market. The problem is not limited to Hungary's borders. The low water level in the Danube has already affected the operation of the neighboring Romanian energy system. Earlier this week, the Romanian Cernavodă NPP, located downstream, was forced to suspend operations due to the inability to ensure a sufficient inflow of cooling water. This indicates the large-scale nature of the climate crisis in the region. ### Forecasts and Risks for the Coming Week The situation remains extremely unstable. According to forecasts by hydrologists and energy experts, at the beginning of next week, the Danube's water level may drop even below the critical mark. In such a scenario, authorities will be forced to decide on disconnecting one of the two remaining operating turbines. If the water level continues to fall, the functioning of the entire station will be at risk, leading to the necessity of scheduled or emergency outages in the country's power grids. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [PM Orbán: Hungary intends to review the agreement with Russia on Paks II NPP](https://1prime.ru/20260731/vengrija-871945699.html) - Источник подтверждает роль премьера Мадьяра в вопросах АЭС, но фокус статьи смещен на текущий кризис с водой, а не на пересмотр контрактов. - [Expert: Hungary may face negative factors in case of refusal of Paks II NPP](https://1prime.ru/20260717/vengriya-871600998.html) - Источник подтверждает роль премьера Мадьяра в вопросах АЭС, но фокус статьи смещен на текущий кризис с водой, а не на пересмотр контрактов. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why did the Paks NPP stop? **A:** The cause was a prolonged drought and heatwave, which led to a critical drop in the water level of the Danube River, necessary for cooling the reactors. ### Q: What measures are Hungarian authorities taking? **A:** Authorities have sunk two barges to artificially raise the water level and are building an underwater barrier from 5,000 tons of stones to slow the current. ### Q: How much electricity is the plant currently producing? **A:** Instead of the maximum capacity of 2000 MW, the plant is currently producing only 485 MW.