Hungary will deliberately sink two 80-metre barges near the Paks nuclear plant to temporarily raise Danube water levels and protect cooling systems, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said. The Paks plant is operating at about 25% capacity amid a historic drought and record-low river levels. The barges could lift local water by roughly 20 cm short-term, while a permanent submerged riverbed "sill"—expected to take weeks to build—could raise levels by up to one metre.
Hungary To Sink Barges Near Paks Nuclear Plant To Boost Danube Cooling Amid Historic Drought
Paks Nuclear Power Plant is pictured as the construction begins on a riverbed sill to raise the Danube's water level in Dunaszentbenedek, Hungary, August 13, 2026. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
Budapest — Hungarian authorities plan to deliberately sink two barges beside the Paks nuclear power plant on the Danube to temporarily raise local water levels and ensure the plant can continue drawing cooling water, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said.
The Paks facility is operating at roughly 25% of its capacity because of a historic drought and record-low Danube levels. The short-term measure is intended to keep the plant's two turbines running while crews build a longer-term riverbed solution.
A barge is in place for the potential sinking to raise the Danube's water level near the Paks Nuclear Power Plant in Dunaszentbenedek, Hungary, August 13, 2026. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
What Authorities Will Do
As an immediate step, the government will submerge two 80-metre (260-foot) barges near the plant in a controlled operation expected to start late on Friday, according to Magyar’s Facebook statement from Paks. Officials estimate the barges could raise the local water level by about 20 centimetres (8 inches) in the short term.
Longer-Term Fix
Separately, Hungary announced plans to construct a submerged riverbed "sill" — a dam-like structure laid crosswise on the river bottom — to manage flow and raise levels more permanently. Authorities say building the sill will take weeks and could increase local water depth by up to one metre.
A view of Paks Nuclear Power Plant, as the construction begins on a riverbed sill to raise the Danube's water level in Dunaszentbenedek, Hungary, August 13, 2026. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
Regional Context
The drought has disrupted power generation, river shipping and public health across the region. Neighboring Romania took its last operational nuclear reactor offline this week as low river levels hampered cooling capacity. The situation has prompted broader discussions in both countries about how to adapt nuclear infrastructure to increasingly extreme climate conditions.
"The controlled sinking (of the barges) is expected to begin late this afternoon in order to raise the water level on the Danube," Magyar said in his video.
The measures are framed as temporary and emergency responses to protect reactor cooling systems while the permanent riverbed sill is constructed. Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves; editing by Alex Richardson.
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