A senior Russian senator has urged Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar to stop wavering over the controversial Paks II nuclear power plant project, warning that energy security and affordable electricity should not become the subject of “political games”.
Elena Perminova, first deputy chair of the International Affairs Committee of Russia’s Federation Council, issued the warning on Friday as tensions continue to grow between the Hungarian government and Russian state nuclear giant Rosatom over the future of Paks II.
“Prime Minister of Hungary Péter Magyar should stop hesitating and take the position of constructive, responsible work,” Perminova told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. She argued that “security, energy sovereignty and affordable electricity for Hungarian citizens are not a field for political games”.
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Russia defends Rosatom’s role in Paks II
Perminova also praised Russia’s nuclear industry, echoing President Vladimir Putin’s claim that Russia is the “absolute and undisputed world leader” in the nuclear power plant construction market. She said Russia possessed expertise covering the entire nuclear energy chain, from uranium mining and enrichment to fuel production, reactor design and construction, staff training and waste disposal.
According to the senator, the reliability of Russian nuclear technology has already been demonstrated, while Rosatom continues to build nuclear power plants around the world. Perminova also contrasted Russia’s position with what she described as the West’s energy crisis and dependence on external energy sources.
She claimed Hungary was already benefiting from cheap and reliable energy thanks to former prime minister Viktor Orbán’s pragmatic policies, and accused Magyar’s statements of posing “a direct threat” to Hungary’s own economy.
According to Perminova, continued cooperation with Rosatom on Paks II would serve Hungary’s “vital interests” and contribute to energy stability across Europe.
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Budapest and Rosatom clash over the project
The latest Russian criticism follows increasingly sharp disagreements between the Hungarian government and Rosatom over the progress and cost of Paks II. On 13 August, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev told Russian journalists that construction of the two new reactors had accelerated and that the company was following the timetable agreed with the Hungarian client.
Work on the foundation of the fifth reactor building is reportedly around 80 per cent complete, with more than 18,000 cubic metres of concrete already poured. Rosatom says preparations for the first concrete pour for the sixth unit are also progressing, while equipment for both reactors is being manufactured.
However, Magyar struck a very different tone the following day. Speaking at a press conference about the water-management measures around the existing Paks nuclear plant, the Hungarian prime minister questioned whether Rosatom had actually complied with its contractual commitments.
“If they had complied with the contract, Paks II would already have been operating in 2024,” Magyar said, while claiming that the project could now cost twice as much as originally planned.
He also famously argued that, after spending around HUF 1,000 billion (approx. EUR 2.75 billion), “there are only two large holes” at the site. Magyar has stressed that not all delays can be blamed on Rosatom, but said the Russian company nevertheless bears some responsibility.
Could Rosatom be pushed out of Paks II?
The dispute has raised the possibility that Hungary could seek major changes to the Paks II project — potentially even reducing or ending Rosatom’s role. At the same time, completely abandoning the existing project and starting again from scratch could prove extremely expensive, particularly given the work and equipment already in place.
Rosatom says the fifth reactor’s foundation is progressing, while excavation work for the sixth unit is also underway. Major equipment has already been produced or is being manufactured, including reactor components and a 730-tonne core catcher delivered to the construction site in 2024.
The project also involves companies from several countries beyond Hungary and Russia. French engineering group Alstom is supplying the turbines, while American, Czech, French, Dutch, German, Austrian, Swiss, Slovak and Turkish companies are also involved.
Rosatom currently says around 500 people are working on the project.
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“The reliability of Russian nuclear technology has already been demonstrated”. Yes the reliability was completely demonstrated in Chernobyl. Good luck Hungary. Thank Fidesz for flooding you with Russian crap from nuclear reactors, to metro carriages with no airconditioning, to useless Sputnik vaccine. They were bringing you crap Russian supermarkets but fortunately those seem to be shutting down.