Hungary to replace Russian with American nuclear fuel with EU help?
The European Commission is ready to help the Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary to wean itself off Russian nuclear fuel.
The REPowerEU programme – ending dependency by the end of 2027
The European Commission is not only helping EU countries wean off Russian oil and gas with the recent REPowerEU programme but is also providing technical support to help the Paks nuclear power plant source nuclear fuel from elsewhere instead of Russia, according to an article in the Financial Times on Friday.
As we can read in the article of Mérce, on Wednesday, the European Commission presented its plan to end the EU’s dependency on Russia for energy by the end of 2027. As part of this plan,
the Commission would provide “technical assistance” to member states so that they could buy fuel from sources other than Russia.
The American Westinghouse helps
According to Portfolio.hu, US company Westinghouse told the Financial Times that it is seeking to obtain regulatory approval to supply nuclear fuel to the five EU countries (Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Finland) that have nuclear power plants with a Russian background and therefore have to buy nuclear fuel from TVEL at the moment, which is a company owned by the Russian Rosatom.
Russian fuel supplies are not yet subject to sanctions; however, Russian planes carrying fuel are banned from the EU airspace. What is more, the war in Ukraine has rendered rail transport impossible. Despite this, a Russian aircraft carrying Russian fuel landed in Hungary in early April.
The article in the Financial Times suggests that Slovakia has also been stockpiling from the fuel that came to Hungary.
Paks has already stored enough Russian nuclear fuel
The American newspaper also interviewed the Paks nuclear power plant, which indicated that they are seeking to diversify their nuclear fuel suppliers, although they have stored enough Russian fuel for the long term. The legal obligation is to buy fuel for at least 2 years in advance, and in April, there were two air deliveries from Russia to Paks, so they could replenish their stocks.
Read alsoIs a serious Hungarian-Romanian diplomatic conflict on the horizon?!
Source: Portfolio, Mérce, Financial Times
5 Comments
Yes, because USA is such a friendly never-do-wrong partner…
When have they ever done something wrong?
#retardedpolitics
@sven – do give this a read:
https://www.politico.eu/article/hungarys-russian-built-nuclear-plant-powered-by-politics-in-brussels/
“The eventual compromise between Brussels and Budapest” … (regarding Hungary awarding the contract to build the €12 billion Paks II nuclear project to the Kremlin-owned Rosatom without the legally required tender) … “came despite serious concerns among other EU members and environmentalists about the need for a new nuclear station when cheaper renewables and electricity links were already available. Some of them objected to increasing dependence on Russian nuclear energy at the same time the bloc is trying to reduce Central and Eastern Europe’s reliance on Russian gas. They also pointed out that the EU had adopted a number of sanctions targeting Russia.”
DEJA VU NOVEMBER 2017 – or should we pretend this is in the past and therefore irrelevant?
Hungary’s economy was in the basement when the country joined the EU. The globalists and left over communists pretending to be socialist, cheaply bought all money making factories/companies. The globalists, closed the Hungarian plants, further destroying the economy. Unemployment was rampant. The national debt was 80% of GDP in 1993.
Brussels, whose motto is Unity in diversity, watched as the country went bankrupt.
The USA’s friendship is like the weather, changes daily. Under Obama, Hungarian government was the worst, worse than Somalia’s, Congo’s or Palestine (the training of the Palestinian terrorist paid for by the UN, financially supported by the US). It is the same under the Biden Administration.
Since the 90s, Hungarian people got smart. The people realized that Brussels is a bully and Brussels is totally against countries that wish to maintain their sovereignty. The US democrat government is intolerant of conservatism.
Hungarians had the right to hold a grudge against the communist Russian government. The 40 years of Russian occupation was a nightmare. One must acknowledge that the western powers were instrumental ceding countries east of the iron curtain to Russia.
Fidesz, with the leadership of Mr. Orban, realized that for Hungary to survive all legislation enacted must be pro Hungarian. All trade agreements must benefit the Hungarian people. Paks nuclear plant was built with the help of Russians in 1969, it has worked perfectly. Russia also supplied nuclear material required. Therefore it made sense to ask Russia to help build Paks II. The greedy western globalist did not like this decision, it meant less money in their pockets. Hungary also signed a 15 year oil/gas trade deal with Russian companies. Hungary’s energy company actually invested money in Russian energy companies.
Both, the supply of oil/gas as well as required nuclear material was uninterrupted and the price of energy did not sky rocket nor is there talk of rationing like in Germany. It would be asinine for Hungary to change suppliers.
Every EU country has the right to trade with any foreign country and no EU country’s trade deal is scrutinized by Brussels. No unanimity is required for German/China trade deal or any other country’s.
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Hungary should stick to making only pro Hungarian trade deals, even if with Russia. It is time for Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Putin to put down their weapons and come to at least a cease fire.
As far as the EU and US is concerned Hands Off Hungary
@mariavontheresa – if you reliably choose to act selfishly, in your own self interest only, you may find the world a very transactional one, without many friends when you need them. Why would they step up help? It’s transactional, after all…
It is time for Hungarians to act selfishly. History shows lack of friends. Suppliers of oil/gas and nuclear fluid should only be changed if there is an interruption in the supply chain. It is time for Hungarians to say, Hungary is for Hungarians and Hungarians First.