Budapest, Aug 15 (Reuters) – The Hungarian government announced it will sink two barges in the Danube near the Paks nuclear power plant on Saturday morning to raise water levels and ensure the reactor’s cooling system can operate safely as the river hits historic lows.
Record‑low Danube threatens nuclear safety across the region
Severe heatwaves and prolonged drought have driven the Danube to its lowest flow in decades, prompting shutdowns at Romania’s Cernavodă plant and raising alarms for Europe’s nuclear fleet, according to reports from Vatican News and the American Nuclear Society. The river’s reduced depth impairs the intake of cooling water, a critical requirement for the safe operation of pressurised water reactors such as those at Paks.
Energy Connects noted that the low water levels have revived doubts about Hungary’s planned expansion of the Paks facility, known as Paks II, which involves a multibillion‑dollar partnership with Russia’s state‑owned Rosatom. The new government, which took office in 2022, has already begun reviewing the $11.5 billion deal, a move highlighted by United24 Media and Ukrainian news outlets.
Emergency engineering solution: sinking barges
According to Reuters, the plan calls for the deliberate submergence of two concrete‑filled barges near the plant’s cooling‑water intake. The operation is set to begin in the early hours of Saturday, as reported by Hungarian outlet hvg.hu, which cited local official Magyar Péter confirming the timing.
The barges will act as makeshift weirs, slowing the river’s flow and raising the upstream water level enough to allow sufficient cooling water to reach the reactors. The Straits Times described the measure as “a pragmatic response to an unprecedented hydrological crisis.”
"Hungary will sink two concrete‑filled barges to raise the Danube level near Paks, a measure unprecedented in Europe’s nuclear sector," the Reuters briefing said.
Construction of a permanent weir to lift water levels at the plant is already under way, as noted by Hungary Today, indicating the government’s intent to combine short‑term fixes with longer‑term infrastructure.
Political and strategic implications
The emergency action comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Paks II project. Ukrainian National News (УНН) and Politico reported that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has questioned the existing agreement with Rosatom, citing the Danube crisis as a factor that could jeopardise the plant’s operational safety and economic viability.
Foreign Policy Journal linked the Romanian shutdown to the same drought, suggesting that a broader regional water shortage could force additional nuclear reactors offline if river conditions do not improve. Firstpost and Daily Sabah warned that similar scenarios could repeat in Hungary, potentially compelling authorities to halt power generation at Paks altogether.
While the immediate goal is to keep the existing reactors running, the incident is fueling a broader debate about Europe’s reliance on river‑dependent cooling for nuclear energy, as highlighted by Futurism and The Independent.
Hungary’s decision to sink the barges underscores the urgent need to adapt critical infrastructure to climate‑driven extremes, while also exposing the fragility of nuclear projects tied to volatile water resources. The outcome of the barge operation and the ongoing review of the Rosatom partnership will shape the future of Hungary’s energy strategy and its role in Europe’s nuclear landscape.
