New Paks power plant blocks paid with Russian loan could start commercial operation in 2029

Two new blocks at Paks could start commercial operation in 2029 and in 2030, the minister in charge of the expansion of Hungary’s sole commercial nuclear power plant said at a meeting of the Tolna County Council on Friday.

János Süli said the two blocks would have a six- to eight-month test run before starting commercial operation.

He noted that an application for the implementation licence for the two blocks had been submitted to the National Atomic Energy Office (OAH) by project company Paks II on June 30, 2020. The office has twelve months to review the application with an option for a three-month extension, which means the licence should be issued by the end of September 2021, he added.

The state of Russia is financing 80 percent of the 12.5 billion euro cost of the blocks.

The general contractor for the upgrade is Russia’s Rosatom. The Paks plant’s existing four blocks, each with a nominal capacity of 500MW, account for about half of domestic electricity generation.

• LMP calls for cancelling Paks nuclear power station expansion contract

Source: MTI