Paks nuclear power plant will operate at least until the end of the century, Rosatom believes

MOSCOW, September 13 – PRIME. After the completion of the construction of new power units of the Paks NPP, Hungary will have a nuclear power plant that will be able to operate at least until the end of the 21st century, said Alexander Merten, vice president of Rosatom JSC ASE, director of the nuclear power plant construction project.

“The start of construction of the Paks 2 nuclear power plant is of great importance for Hungary. The country will have a nuclear power plant that will operate at least until the end of this century. These units will provide electricity at an affordable price without having a negative impact on the environment. Due to the fact that the project is focused, among other things, on attracting local companies, the Hungarian industry will receive new orders, new jobs will appear,” Merten said.

The interlocutor of the agency stressed that all permits for the start of construction of new buildings of the Paks nuclear power plant have already “been received – including permission to strengthen the soil and build an impervious curtain, which is necessary for further safe earthworks and excavation.”

The interlocutor of the agency recalled that after the issuance of a construction license, permission was received for the construction of the reactor building of the fifth power unit of the Paks nuclear power plant and six more buildings of the so-called “nuclear island”.

“The reactor building is the main building of the power unit, which serves to house the reactor vessel, cooling system, steam generators, spent nuclear fuel pool and systems that provide cooling during operation, as well as service, auxiliary and control systems. This is another important milestone in the life of the project,” Merten said.

According to him, licensing in Hungary is an ongoing process.

“The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority strictly controls the entire construction of new power units, a number of additional permits are yet to be obtained. energy above all,” added the project director.

Merten also said that the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions and the ensuing logistical and other difficulties will not affect the construction of the station, provided that the Hungarian side is interested in its implementation.

It is noted that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called on the European Commission to give guarantees that nuclear energy does not fall under sanctions and that all European institutions comply with this provision.

At the end of August, the Hungarian Atomic Energy Administration issued a general license for the construction of the fifth and sixth units of the Paks nuclear power plant, the reactor building of the fifth power unit, and six permits for the construction of a “nuclear island”. The Hungarian government also expressed its intention to extend the life of the existing power units of the Paks nuclear power plant.

The only nuclear power plant in Hungary, Paks, is located 100 kilometers from Budapest and five from the city of Paks. The station was built according to the Soviet project, it operates four units with VVER-440 reactors. The Paks nuclear power plant now generates almost half of all electricity in Hungary, and with the planned commissioning of two new Paks units, this share is expected to double. For Hungary, nuclear energy is a way to ensure its energy security, the leadership of this country has repeatedly emphasized.

At the end of 2014, Russia and Hungary signed documents on the construction at Paks NPP of new power units No. 5 and No. 6 with reactor plants according to the advanced Russian project VVER-1200, which meets the most modern standards of reliability and safety. It was reported that Russia would give Hungary a state loan of up to 10 billion euros for the Paks-2 project, and the total cost of the work would be 12.5 billion euros.