Rosatom: Official construction of Hungary's Paks II nuclear power plant to begin this year

Preparatory work for the construction of the second phase of Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant is progressing rapidly. At the end of last year, construction workers completed a 2.7 km-long wall separating the site from groundwater. The contractor for the units, Russia's Rosatom, therefore expects official construction to begin with the first concrete pour later this year. According to plans, the first of the two new VVER-1200 nuclear reactors will start commercial operation in the early 2030s.

Russia's energy company Rosatom announced that, at a joint meeting with Hungary's foreign minister, it reviewed the rapid progress of work on the Paks II nuclear power plant project. Last year, a 2.7 km-long wall separating the site from groundwater was completed ahead of schedule.

“The current pace of work allows us to expect that all preparatory work at the construction site will be completed by the end of this year. This will enable us to proceed with the first concrete pour. I therefore believe this year will be particularly significant for the entire project,” said Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev.

Ground stabilization and site preparation are currently underway. During the summer, construction workers will begin excavating the foundation pit, which will be up to 30 meters deep in some places. This will be followed by the preparation of steel reinforcement and the first concrete pour.

The second phase of the Paks nuclear power plant comprises two VVER-1200 units with a total capacity of 2400 MW. Four VVER-440 reactors from the 1980s are currently operating at Paks, with their planned operating life extended into the 2050s.

Core catcher completed in Russia

The first major delivery for the first of the Paks II units is a core catcher, which serves as a safety measure inside the unit's containment in the event of an accident. Its manufacture has been completed in Russia, and it will be delivered to its destination in the second half of the year. Rosatom also announced that it will begin manufacturing the reactor pressure vessel in April.

"Russia has completed manufacturing the core catcher, so it will be delivered to Hungary in the near future. This will be a challenging operation, as the equipment weighs more than 700 tonnes. We are proud that a truly major international project is being carried out at Paks, and that, alongside the Russian general contractor, German, French, Austrian, Swedish and American companies are also part of the subcontractor chain," said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

Construction of Paks II is proceeding under a 2014 intergovernmental agreement between Hungary and Russia, which stipulates that 40% of project deliveries will go to Hungarian companies. The Russian side has committed to selecting a further 55% of suppliers in accordance with European Commission regulations.

Rosatom says there is strong interest in the project from Hungarian industry. According to the company, more than 100 subcontractors from Hungary and other European countries are already involved in the project.