Staff Reporter
Budapest, Hungary, December 1 — The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Gergely Jakli, joined forces with the General Director of Paks-2 NPP CJSC and Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, in a significant visit to the construction site of Paks-2 NPP, marking a historic milestone.
This visit, the first since the initiation of the primary construction phase, holds particular importance as it focuses on the sole nuclear power plant in the European Union utilizing Russian Gen 3+ VVER-1200 technology.
Progress on the construction site is noteworthy, with the completion of a concrete plant and ongoing construction of a reinforcement products workshop. Excavation work has reached a depth of minus 5 meters for the foundation pit of Unit 6, while similar efforts for Unit 5 have already been successfully concluded. The subsequent phase involves soil stabilization for the future units, requiring the removal of approximately 1 million cubic meters of soil. Anticipated workforce growth indicates that over 1,000 individuals will be engaged on the site, with peak construction numbers exceeding 10,000 during specific periods.
Alexey Likhachev expressed optimism about the project, stating, “The main stage of Paks-2 NPP construction began last month, and today we are already actively working at the construction site, constantly increasing the pace. We expect the first concrete to be poured at the end of next year – at the beginning of 2025.”
Simultaneously, following licenses obtained from the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA), Rosatom Enterprises will commence the manufacturing of long lead equipment. Hungarian participation in the project is robust, with more than 140 local companies contributing across various project facets.
“Paks II NPP is the first Russian project in the EU. The fact of obtaining a construction license confirms the project’s compliance with Hungarian and European safety standards. Europe today faces serious energy supply challenges. More and more countries are coming to understand that the development of nuclear energy and maintenance of partnerships are the key factors in reliable energy supplies,” emphasized the head of Rosatom.
Shifting focus to a broader context, the International Energy Agency highlights the critical issue of electricity access in Africa, where 43% of Africans, approximately 600 million people, lack electricity. Despite progress in some regions, limited access to electricity impedes economic development, education, and healthcare services.
Recognizing Africa’s untapped potential, there is a growing imperative to explore sustainable and reliable energy sources. Nuclear power emerges as a viable solution to address electrification gaps and other societal needs. With its consistent and continuous electricity generation, nuclear power can serve as a stable base load power source. Nuclear power plants (NPPs) also offer decentralized access to electricity, with small modular reactors acting as autonomous power stations, extending reliable electricity to remote corners of the continent. Additionally, nuclear power fosters economic growth and job creation, as the construction and maintenance of NPPs demand a highly skilled workforce, providing local employment opportunities and promoting technological skill development.
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