August 4 (SeeNews) - Slovenia's sole nuclear power plant Krsko considers reducing the capacity of its reactor by 10% in case of a prolonged low level of the Sava river, local media reported.
"If the dry period were to continue and the temperatures and hydro-meteorological conditions required further action from us, the next action would be to reduce the power of the power plant," public broadcaster RTVSLO quoted the power plant's production director Gorazd Pfeifer as saying. Nuklearna Elektrarna Krsko (NEK)
The power plant currently runs its cooling towers at full capacity to ensure the operation of the plant's reactor at full capacity, Pfeifer added.
In July, the power plant said the efficiency of the reactor was reduced to 33.5% from 35%, due to unfavourable weather conditions.
Part of the flow of the Sava river is used by the nuclear power plant to cool the generated steam, which is then condensed and returned to the secondary circuit. Water from the Sava river is then used in the third round of electricity production.
Nuclear energy had the largest share of 43.3% in Slovenia's total power production in June, according to the latest data available from Slovenia's statistical institute.
The Krsko nuclear power plant, located in Slovenia near the border with Croatia, generates some 40% of Slovenia's electricity output. It operates a Westinghouse pressurised light water reactor of 2,000 MW thermal power capacity.