Hungary braces for first nuclear plant shutdown as Danube hits record lows

Hungary’s only nuclear power plant will shut down for the first time in its history due to record-low water levels on the Danube River, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Friday, adding that the plant may not come back online for several weeks as the river is expected to continue receding.The Paks nuclear plant, located around 90 km (50 miles) south of the capital Budapest, is operating at less than half its normal capacity, producing 965 megawatts of power rather than the usual 2,000.The plant uses water from the Danube to cool its reactors, but the exceptionally low water level has tested the ability of pumps to bring sufficient quantities into the plant.