Further developments needed in Paks after 2030, says minister

Projections show that there will be a shortage of energy capacity in Hungary in 2030 after the current Paks nuclear power station expansion project is completed, so further development plans are needed, János Süli, the minister in charge of the upgrade project, told a hearing in parliament’s national security committee on Wednesday. 

In response to a question by green opposition LMP’s co-leader Bernadett Szél concerning a possible “Paks 3”,

Süli said no physical space for further blocks would be available at Paks following the current expansion,

and a large base power station would be needed in addition, which included not only a nuclear power station but also solar, wind and water generation.

The committee’s (Socialist) head, Zsolt Molnár, called for a permanent committee to be set up to monitor the current Paks 2 project. Süli said if parliament decided to set up such a committee, the government would support it.

Concerning the planned expansion to be carried out by Russia‘s Rosatom, state secretary in charge of maintaining Paks, Attila Aszódi, said rules stipulate the protection of each side’s business secrets. The Hungarian side has no objections concerning the publication of information which is not classified data, but the