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FACTBOX: What to know about possible suspension of Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant

The plant is expected to suspend operations starting August 3

© Alexander Ryumin/TASS

BUDAPEST, July 31. /TASS/. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has said that operations at the Paks nuclear power plant could be suspended for several weeks because of falling water levels in the Danube River, Reuters reported.

TASS has compiled the key facts about the situation.

Possible suspension of Paks nuclear plant operations

- Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said that operations at the Paks nuclear power plant could be suspended for several weeks because of falling water levels in the Danube River, Reuters reported.

- The plant is expected to suspend operations starting August 3.

Situation at the plant

- Electricity generation at one reactor unit of Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant was suspended because of the Danube’s record-low water levels, Reuters reported on July 29.

- According to the agency, the shutdown took place at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time.

- Energy Minister Istvan Kapitany said the country’s power supply system remains reliable, but decisions had been made to reduce electricity generation at Units 1 and 3 of the plant.

- Electricity generation at Unit 2 of Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant was reduced by 50% because of declining water levels in the Danube, Reuters reported on July 30.

Situation with the Danube’s falling water levels

- Water levels have fallen along the entire length of the Danube River.

- Slovakia has recorded the Danube’s lowest water level in the past 30 years.

- Similar conditions have been observed in Serbia and Romania.

- Romania decided not to shut down Unit 2 of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant (Constanta County, southeastern Romania), although the possibility had been raised by the operator, Nuclearelectrica, because of low water levels in the Danube, Radio Romania reported.

- Unit 1 of the plant was shut down on July 28 for the same reason.

- Nuclearelectrica also said its specialists would continue monitoring and analyzing the plant’s operating parameters and warned that, given hydrological forecasts for Danube water levels, Unit 2 could need to be shut down at any time.

- Unit 1 will remain offline until Danube water levels allow its safe restart.

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