PAKS TO SHUT DOWN REACTOR DUE TO FALLING DANUBE WATER LEVELS

BUDAPEST, JULY 29 /SRNA-Reuters/ - Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant will shut down one of its four reactors during the day due to the Danube's record-low water level, as the river water is used for cooling, operator MVM said.

Environment Minister László Gajdos said that those responsible for water management were on standby to help ensure cooling water supplies for the plant.

He said that four pumping pontoons and two floating cranes had been positioned near Paks, as a further drop in the water level is expected in the coming days.

The power plant, which has four Russian-built reactors with a combined capacity of two gigawatts and produces nearly half of Hungary's electricity, had already reduced output at its second unit by 254 megawatts on Monday.

With the shutdown of one reactor, production will be reduced to around 60 per cent of capacity.

The decision was made following other emergency measures taken in June during a record heatwave.

Since then, the Danube's water level has fallen to a record low, disrupting cargo and other navigation along one of Europe's busiest waterways.