The controlled sinking of two 80-meter-long barges (R) loaded with rock is taking place on the section of the Danube adjacent to the Paks Nuclear Power Plant near Dunaszentbenedek on August 18, 2026, the major investment in the riverbed, the raising of the bedrock threshold, and the lowering of the barges will take place simultaneously, all to dam the Danube water needed to cool the power plant. Construction experts from the Hungarian Water Authority and the Hungarian Defense Forces are racing against time at the power plant, as the Danube's water level is expected to drop another 89 centimeters over the next two days, directly endangering the operation of the two remaining units. Therefore, the controlled sinking of the barges here is to ensure the operation results in an adequate rise in water level at the power plant pumps. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP via Getty Images)