Revision will allow work to start earlier than scheduled, says minister
The European Commission has approved a draft of an amendment to a government decree on the groundwork for the construction of two new units at the Paks nuclear power station in Hungary, János Süli, the minister without portfolio in charge of the project, has announced.
The amendment to the decree is intended to allow the groundwork to start earlier, ensuring the conditions for continuous work at the Paks 2 project site, Mr Süli said in a statement emailed to NucNet.
He said the EU decision supports the Hungarian government’s intention to amend its nuclear safety regulations in accordance with European practice and regulations.
The amendment to the decree is intended to allow the groundwork to start earlier, ensuring the conditions for continuous work at the Paks 2 project site, Mr Süli said in a statement emailed to NucNet.
He said the EU decision supports the Hungarian government’s intention to amend its nuclear safety regulations in accordance with European practice and regulations.
Mr Süli said the groundwork could start early in 2021. Documentation for the licence application for the two new units is on schedule to be submitted to the regulator for approval in the summer.
The Paks nuclear station, the country’s only commercial nuclear facility, already has four units in commercial operation, but the government has said that without the two new units it would not be able to reach its climate goals.
An agreement signed in 2014 will see Russia supply two VVER-1200 pressurised water reactors for Paks 2, and a loan of up to €10bn to finance 80% of the €12bn project.
In 2019 the four Paks units provided about 49% of the country’s nuclear generation, according to International Atomic Energy Agency statistics.
