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Paks NPP expansion: the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority bans work in parts of the 5th block construction site – PHOTOS
The decision of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority to ban work in parts of the 5th block construction site came after parts of its Southern wall slid and collapsed. Based on a trustworthy informant of Portfolio, work continued in all other parts of the construction site. Hungary’s only nuclear power plant in Paks operates with four blocks, the 5th is under construction with the help of Russian technology and loans.
Paks NPP 5th block construction site Southern wall slide
The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) issued the relevant decision on Thursday, saying that the slide happened in the Southern segment of the construction hole. That segment is the closest to the 4th block, which operates, Portfolio wrote. The collapse took place at a height of 7 metres. The first cracks were discovered on 15 January. Afterwards, the territory became a separate security zone, and geodetic control points were placed there. However, parts of the reinforced ground slid on 30 January. The HAEA permits the continuation of the construction only after the subcontractors can prove that they terminated the irregular state.
On 6 February, the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority banned work in the Southern parts of the 5th block construction site and compiled a detailed checklist. The January events are not in connection with another event before Christmas when the wall of the construction site tilted. The subcontractors carried out a preventive intervention and supported the wall even though its tilt (3.5-4cm) did not reach the intervention limit (6.5cm).
Opposition politicians’ visit
Independent MP Ákos Hadházy suggested that employees faced mass layoffs due to the tilt. Later, the Paks NPP cleared that the workers’ contracts were terminated because they finished ground reinforcement. The two events happened around the same time, but there was no connection between them, Portfolio wrote.
This week, Antal Csárdi and Hadházy’s chief of staff, Bernadette Szilágyi, visited the construction site after Paks NPP welcomed two Fidesz-KDNP MPs the week before. The company said they showed everything to the politician and answered all of his questions. The visit took place hours before the HAEA decision was issued.
Meanwhile, Csárdi says the management of Paks Nuclear Power Plant did not let him take photos, kept him away from the problematic Southern wall and tried to distract their questions instead of answering them properly. Csárdi said he only got “theoretical information” because Paks II Ltd did not share accurate information about the state of the construction site even though they had a legal obligation to do so.
Paks II Ltd rejects opposition accusations
Ákos Hadházy said in a Facebook post that the construction site is flooded with water, while Csárdi wrote that water is pouring inside through the walls. According to Paks II, this is happening because one of the pumps went wrong. Hadházy wrote it remained a question whether the Russian-Hungarian cooperation to build the new NPP blocks would collapse, but it is worrying that Paks II Ltd is lying about it.
Paks II Ltd issued a statement on Facebook yesterday saying that their programme and communications directors and geoinformatics engineer answered their questions for almost three hours. During the visit, they showed them the construction site of the 5th block. They wrote that Csárdi expressed his appreciation for the work, but later, he formulated multiple false accusations, which they rejected. They said they did not hide anything and provided all the details and information. Furthermore, they said that Csárdi visited the Southern wall where the cracks were and the slide happened. They did not mention whether he could take photos. They also highlighted that the construction of the Paks II NPP continues by complying with the strictest international and Hungarian regulations.
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