Hungary to sink two barges near nuclear plant to raise Danube levels to ensure cooling​​

Hungarian authorities plan to sink two barges in the Danube on Saturday to raise water levels near the Paks nuclear plant, aiming to prevent a shutdown of one of its last two operating turbines. Prime Minister Peter Magyar said the plant is currently running at about 25% capacity due to a historic drought and record-low river levels, which drop the coolant supply. Forecasts indicate the Danube could reach a critical point by early Monday, forcing one turbine to close. Hungary previously said it would build a riverbed “sill” to regulate flow, a project that will take weeks, while the barges offer short-term relief. Romania shut down its last reactor on Thursday for similar reasons.