Rosatom says Paks expansion in Hungary will run even at low Danube levels
Rosatom says its planned expansion of Hungary's Paks nuclear plant will operate even when the Danube runs low, after record-low river levels cut output in August.
Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said the planned expansion of Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant will be able to operate even when water levels in the Danube river fall below those recorded during this summer's dry spell.
The assurance follows a period in August when the existing Paks plant, which supplies nearly half of Hungary's electricity, was running at just 10% of its capacity as record-low river levels and a prolonged heatwave hit the region.
Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev told reporters that past low-water episodes on the Danube had required extra measures to secure water supply, and that the new project has been designed with such conditions in mind. He said the design includes solutions that allow operation at water levels lower than those seen during the dry summer.
The expansion project, valued at 12.5 billion euros (about $14.41 billion), covers the addition of two Russian-made VVER reactors to the existing 2-gigawatt facility. It was awarded to Rosatom in 2014 without a tender and has been delayed by several years.