The emergency preparedness review (EPREV) team said Hungary has addressed recommendations from an earlier EPREV mission in 2016 and taken significant steps to improve its preparedness for nuclear and radiological emergencies.
For example, the country has developed both an annual and a long-term training programme for various emergency workers and it has also published a protection strategy for such emergencies.
The team said Hungary should enhance coordination at the national level, to ensure first responders are equipped with detectors to identify radiological conditions they may face during their duty, enabling them to respond effectively.
Hungary also needs to ensure increased awareness among general medical practitioners to recognise symptoms of acute radiation exposure.
The team said Hungary has “a strong commitment to nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness, reflected in the efforts to improve the country’s emergency arrangements”. It has produced a comprehensive annual training and exercise plan, and a long-term training plan for the Hungarian Nuclear Emergency Response System.
Budapest has also improved requirements to ensure operators are well-prepared to mitigate consequences under their responsibility in case of an emergency at their site.
Hungary generates half of its electricity from four reactors at the Paks nuclear power station and is planning to build another two reactors at the same site. The country also operates two research reactors, an isotope production facility, a national radioactive waste repository, and uses high activity radiation sources in industrial, medical and research applications.
