Hungary’s foreign minister said in New York on Thursday that the international community had to make sure that no country takes unilateral steps putting the safe energy supply of another country at risk.
The foreign ministry cited Péter Szijjártó as saying at the UN General Assembly’s session focusing on sustainable energy that meeting the radically increasing global demand for electricity was one of the world’s important challenges today. He underlined that the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes guaranteed a “good platform” for East-West cooperation, noting the expansion of Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant as an excellent example of cooperation among several countries.
Hungary rejects all initiatives which are aimed at negative discrimination against nuclear energy which lack any scientific approach, any kind of fact-based approach, he said, calling them “clearly and purely ideological attacks”. He noted that Hungary was investing in increasing nuclear capacity in a way to guarantee a safe supply of electricity, ensure low energy prices, protect the environment and make Hungary independent and protected against the volatility of international energy markets.
“Hungary rejects and considers it totally unacceptable if any country makes unilateral steps to interfere in the composition of the energy mix of another country…or puts the safe energy supply of another country at risk,” he said, adding that “all countries must refrain from such steps”. “The safe supply of energy is a matter of national security, and matter of national sovereignty as well,” said the minister. Unilateral steps by any country putting the safe energy supply of another country at risk should be considered as an attack on national sovereignty,” he added.
He called it highly important that the international community makes sure that no country makes unilateral steps putting the safe energy supplies of another country at risk.
The foreign minister said that “it is a political revenge by the failed US Democratic administration” that the expansion of Hungary’s nuclear power plant at Paks had not been exempted from sanctions against Russia’s Gazprombank, but there is no reason for concern.
The foreign ministry cited Péter Szijjártó as saying in New York that the outgoing US administration’s recent one-sided steps made energy supplies for the entire region more difficult, and the sanctions against Gazprombank resulted in a difficult situation to those countries that “do not represent mainstream politics, but represent conservative, patriotic, national policies, and their policies much rather coincide with the incoming US president’s”.
“The US government obviously knew precisely well what effects these measures would have, and they knew precisely well which countries they cause problems to,” he added.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
“But everyone can rest assured, because we are eliminating these risks. We have partly already taken the necessary legal, technical and technological steps, and will take more in the upcoming period. Hungary’s energy supplies are secure and will be secure as long as we are in government,” he said.
Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, attended an international conference on a new Eurasian security framework, orchestrated by Russia. According to Russian FM Lavrov, Hungary was interested in the project, and the Hungarian foreign ministry has not denied that claim. Meanwhile, yesterday, PM Orbán decorated German businessman Klaus Mangold, who’s called ‘Mr Russia’ in his home country due to his exceptional relationships with Russia’s leaders, including President Putin.
New security architecture built by Russia
Based on a statement shared by Russian TASS, the Russian news agency, Mr Lavrov said Slovakia and Hungary were intrigued by the idea of a new security architecture for Eurasia even if the West is displeased. On Friday, Lavrov met FM Szijjártó in Valletta, Malta, to continue the so-called ‘peace mission’ the Hungarian government started after PM Orbántook the presidency of the Council of Europe in July. Lavrov and Szijjártó talked about how the war in Ukraine can be contained until Trump’s inauguration on 20 January. Furthermore, Szijjártó condemned the idea of lowering the conscription age in Ukraine. Instead, he said ceasefire and peace talks are required.
Orbán and Putin in Moscow on 5 July. Photo: FB/Orbán
But it seems Hungary would support even more in that regard: Russia would like to spearhead building a new architecture of security in Eurasia. Lavrov said Hungary is interested in that, along with Slovakia. FM Szijjártó participated in the 2nd International Conference on Eurasian security in Minsk, “after which Russia and Belarus called for developing the Eurasian Charter of diversity and multipolarity in the 21st century”, TASS wrote.
“The conference in Minsk was attended by the Foreign Minister of Hungary (Péter Szijjártó – DNH), Slovakia displays its interest as well. I believe that other countries will see a direct benefit from this in terms of promoting their long-term interests and satisfying the needs of their people”, Lavrov said.
They will continue even if the West dislikes the idea
Lavrov highlighted that the West is displeased with the initiative, but Russia would continue nevertheless.
“Regardless of whether the West wants it or not, the process of building a new architecture of security is moving forward full steam, and is already based not on the Euro-Atlantic concept, but on the understanding that the single Eurasian continent currently provides opportunities for everyone to equally safeguard everyone’s interests and build the very indivisible security, which was proclaimed in the OSCE, but was destroyed by the actions of the West. First and foremost, thanks to NATO’s reckless eastward expansion”, Lavrov concluded.
Lavrov and Szijjártó in Valletta yesterday. Photo: FB/Szijjártó
Portfolio.hu wrotethat the Hungarian foreign ministry has not commented on the issue. Before, PM Orbán and other government officials regularly cleared that Hungary’s pro-NATO commitment was unquestionable.
PM Orbán decorated “Mr Russia”
On Thursday in the Carmelite Monastery, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán awardedthe Middle Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit to Klaus Mangold, owner-managing director of Mangold Consulting GmbH and former chairman of the Executive Board of DaimlerChrysler AG, Bertalan Havasi, the Prime Minister’s press chief informed the Hungarian news agency MTI. The decoration was conferred upon Mr Mangold in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the strengthening and development of Hungarian-German economic relations.
Direkt36 discoveredmore about the controversial relationship between the Hungarian prime minister and the German businessman. First, they wrote that Mr Mangold was regularly referred to as “Mr Russia” in the German press due to his extensive network in the Russian political and business elite.
Photo: MTI
Photo: MTI
János Lázár introduced Mangold to Orbán
According to the media outlet, János Lázár, a hunting partner of Mangold, introduced the German businessman to Orbán in 2012. Afterwards, Mangold played a role behind the scenes in smoothing the preparations of the Russian-Hungarian negotiations over the Paks nuclear power plant expansion project.
Furthermore, European Commissioner Günther Oettinger travelled from Germany to Budapest on his private jet in 2016. Later, it was revealed that Mangold has a contract and a regular payment from Budapest covering multiple issues from digitalisation to the promotion of electric cars. After the 2018 elections, nine contracts were signed with Mangold’s company in various areas from helping facilitate German-Hungarian industrial cooperation to attracting foreign companies.
Rosatom subsidiary VP: Paks NPP expansion will cost more
According to index.hu, Aleksandr Merten, the VP of the Rosatom subsidiary Atomstroyexport, said the prices were defined by inflation, the damaged supply chains, the growing costs of building materials, and illegal migration. He said Paks II would supply electricity from the beginning of the 2030s. However, its EUR 12.5 billion cost could increase.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
Furthermore, the deadlines may also change since the European Commission monitored the state support of the project for 2.5 years. He added that German Siemens would deliver the automatised control system of the plant. If they refused to do so, Russians would partner with the French. Laying concrete will start next March, and the Hungarian supplier rate may exceed 40%. Mr Merten said 150 Hungarian companies were working on the expansion project.
The upgrade of Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant is being undertaken in compliance with the strictest international rules, the head of international relations at project company Paks II said at the Uzatom Expo 2024 industry fair in Samarkand on Thursday.
Participating in a panel discussion, Attila Hugyecz said a number of international nuclear energy organisations were following the Paks II project, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Nuclear Association (WNA) and the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO).
He noted that the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority had cleared the preliminary safety report for Paks II, allowing the first concrete to be poured and the project to be designated officially “under construction”.
Last year, nuclear energy accounted for 45pc of electricity generation and 35pc of consumption in Hungary.
The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority has approved the preliminary safety report for the pouring of the first concrete of the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant, another milestone in the project, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó was quoted as saying by his ministry on Friday.
He said the pouring of the first concrete is expected to take place early next year.
Szijjártósaid the Pakspower plant expansion is currently the biggest nuclear project with a building permit in the European Union.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
Agroszika completes new site in Debrecen industrial zone
Agroszika completed a HUF 209m site in the southern industrial zone of Debrecen (E Hungary) on Friday. The investment costs were fully covered by a conditional European Union and state grant. Agroszika’s activities include earthworks, freight transport and waste management. It had revenue of HUF 2bn last year, managing director Krisztina Hajdu-Kalmar said.
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International organization confirmed that the Paks NPP operates safe, dependable – read more HERE
An Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) acknowledged the Paks nuclear power plant’s commitment to safe and dependable operation, the power plant company said on Thursday.
MVM Paksi Atomerőműsaid it requested the IAEA to conduct the OSART test with the aim to explore further possibilities to improve the operational safety of the power plant based on available best practices.
The draft report concluding the OSART mission, based on the IAEA’s safety guidelines, identifies best practices in the power plant’s activity that will later be shared with the international professional public.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
The proposals put forward by the OSART team include the more efficient encouragement of employees by managers in order to avoid mistakes, the review of the control system of the maintenance equipment and of unfixed devices in the area protected against earthquakes.
Deputy head of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority OAH László Juhász said the international review did not make any comments that questioned the high safety level of the nuclear power plant.
The Paks Nuclear Power Plant plays a pivotal role in Hungary’s energy sector as its sole operational nuclear facility. Comprising four VVER-440 reactors built with Soviet-era technology, Paks generates nearly half of Hungary’s electricity. Over the years, the plant has undergone significant upgrades, boosting its capacity to 2,000 MW.
The future of Hungarian nuclear energy lies in the Paks II expansion project, which aims to construct two additional 1,200 MW reactors designed by Russia. Funded through a combination of a Russian state loan and Hungarian resources, this project has received European Commission approval. The primary aim is to enhance energy independence as the existing reactors approach the end of their operational lifespan by the late 2030s.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
The benefits of nuclear energy
Hungary’s nuclear ambitions are not without challenges. While nuclear energy is promoted as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution, the Paks II project has faced criticism over financial transparency and potential cost overruns. Critics are also concerned that the focus on nuclear energy might divert funding away from renewable energy initiatives. Furthermore, public support for nuclear energy has waned since the Fukushima disaster, further complicating the discourse.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
The Paks Nuclear Power Plant’s new partner: Serbia
According to Szabad Európa, Serbia is looking to diversify its energy portfolio, with President Aleksandar Vučić recently revealing plans to acquire up to a 10% stake in Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Power Plant. During a visit to Budapest, Vučić proposed the idea to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, emphasising that Belgrade would be prepared to pay the full market price for the stake. However, the Hungarian government has yet to respond.
This move aligns with Serbia’s broader goal of reducing its heavy reliance on coal-fired power plants and Russian natural gas. Despite lacking its own nuclear power facilities, Serbia has been making strides in energy diversification. The country has expanded its gas network, including connections to the Bulgarian pipeline, which offers access to Azerbaijani gas, and the LNG terminal in Alexandroupoli, Greece.
Serbia’s interest in the Paks Nuclear Plant could signal a new chapter in Hungarian-Serbian collaboration. However, it remains unclear whether Vučić’s proposal pertains to the existing Paks plant or the upcoming Paks II project. For Hungary, the potential involvement of a foreign partner introduces strategic and geopolitical considerations, especially given the Russian ties underpinning the Paks II project. Serbia’s overture not only reflects its pragmatic approach to energy diversification but also highlights the evolving dynamics of regional energy politics. As Hungary evaluates this proposal, the outcome could reshape the energy landscape in the Balkans and beyond.
This is not the first time a foreign country has become involved with the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. As we detailed in a previous article, both France and Russia are also set to contribute by supplying fuel rods for the facility. This underscores the growing international collaboration centred on the plant, further establishing it as a focal point of multinational efforts in the energy sector.
A “rational” cooperation with Russia is the guarantee for the security of Hungary’s energy supply at competitive prices, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Minsk on Thursday, after a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
In a statement issued by his ministry, Szijjártósaid the sides had discussed bilateral ties, including a recent meeting of the Hungarian-Russian Intergovernmental Economic Cooperation Commission at which intentions to further develop cooperation in areas unaffected by sanctions were affirmed. Energy was also a topic at the talks, he added.
He said Hungary had taken delivery of 6.2bn cubic metres of gas through the TurkStream pipeline so far this year, a record volume. The Druzhba pipeline will remain Hungary’s main source for deliveries of crude in future, he added.
Péter Szijjártó and Sergey Lavrov in Minsk on 31 October. Photo: MTI/EPA/Orosz külügyminisztérium sajtószolgálata
Szijjártó said work on the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant was “progressing well”, adding that the first concrete would be poured soon, putting the project officially in the “under construction” phase.
He said the talks had also touched on a number of other topics important from an international political perspective.
Szijjártó urges intl community to resume Eurasian cooperation
The international community should seek to build rather than burn bridges, and should resume Eurasian cooperation, Szijjártó said in Minsk.
Addressing the opening of the Minsk Conference on Eurasian Security, Szijjártó said the global security situation was at its worst since the second world war, warning that there was even a risk of a global armed conflict.
Szijjártó said it was an “honour” to present Hungary’s position, adding that “nowadays, huge and strong powers are working to create an overwhelming hegemony of opinion”, and if a country did not fully align with the mainstream, its right to represent its opinion was immediately questioned.
“If you don’t fall in line with the mainstream 100 percent … you are immediately stigmatised, you are immediately attacked, you are immediately accused,” Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement.
Hungary insists on preserving its sovereignty, even though “there are some powers outside of the country and some actors inside who want us to give up at least a part of our sovereignty”, he said.
“But I would like to ensure you that this will never happen,” he said. “It’s high time that all participants of international politics understood that we Hungarians will protect every inch of our sovereignty.” The minister said sovereignty for Hungary meant that the country refused to accept any “diktats”, that its actions were driven by national interests, and that it viewed the world from its own perspective.
“For us, sovereignty means that no one can tell us what to think, what to say and what to do,” he said.
Szijjártó warned that unless there were fundamental changes in global politics in the near future, the world would again be divided into geopolitical blocs. This, he said, went against Hungary’s interests, and the government instead aimed to bolster connectivity.
This, he added, required replacing “the practice of burning bridges with building bridges”.
He expressed concern that global powers were not prepared to cooperate with each other. “Because of this lack of dialogue, the European Union, for example, has become a less safe and a less competitive place compared with what it was 1,000 days ago,” the minister said. “If we cannot come back to the principle of dialogue and mutual respect, Europe is going to be a more dangerous place and Europe will lose more growth potential in the future.”
He said both Europe and Asia benefitted significantly from cooperation, but without cooperation both had a lot to lose. “I think it’s always better to be among the winners than among the losers,” he added.
He said the Hungarian government has adopted a strategy of economic neutrality which meant that Hungary refused to accept any restrictions concerning whom it can cooperate with.
“We cooperate with everyone from the East and everyone from the West, with whomever cooperation makes sense…” he said. “We dislike sanction politics, and we want a global trade and global economic system operated in a free and fair manner.”
Szijjártó also spoke out against the “over-ideologisation and over-politicisation” of energy supply, which, he added, had resulted in electricity in Europe costing 2-3 times what it costs in the United States, and natural gas costing 4-5 times as much.
He said that while political cooperation between the East and the West seemed “far away”, economic cooperation was working, arguing that Hungary had become a key meeting point between Eastern and Western businesses, mainly in the auto industry.
He pointed to the example of Hungary’s upgrade of its Paks nuclear power plant, noting that American, German, French, Swiss and Austrian subcontractors were working on the project alongside Russia’s Rosatom.
Szijjártó criticised the “hypocrisy” of the West attacking Hungary while France has increased its imports of Russian liquefied natural gas by 80 percent, and Spain has doubled and Belgium has tripled them.
“We Hungarians are the only ones who speak about the need for Eurasian cooperation openly, and there are many who think similarly, they are just not brave enough to represent their position,” Szijjártó said.
“So let me encourage our Western friends and allies to be braver, to be more honest, to be more patriotic and stand up for their own national interests,” he said. “Let’s re-engage in international political talks. Let’s stop burning bridges. Let’s start building bridges, and let’s come back to the reconstruction of Eurasian cooperation.”
France’s Framatome will deliver fuel rods to Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant from 2027 under an agreement signed on Friday, Attila Steiner, the state secretary for energy policy, said at a press conference in Budapest.
Steiner called the agreement, signed by Framatome and MVM Paksi Atomeromu, “an important step” from the perspective of supply security. The agreement was preceded by a memorandum of understanding signed by the Energy Ministry and Framatome in September 2023, he added.
The agreement was signed by FramatomeCEO Bernard Fontana and MVM Paksi AtomerőműCEO Peter Janos Horvath and deputy-CEO Pal Toth in the presence of Energy Minister Csaba Lantos.
Steiner said Paks had built up a significant strategic inventory of fuel rods in recent years.
Fontana said the agreement paved the way for Paks to get fuel rods in the long term in a dependable manner. Framatome is happy to participate in the diversification of Paks’s fuel rod supply, he added.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjártó met with Alexey Likhachev, the CEO of Rosatom, and Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy (IAEA) on Monday.
In a post on Facebook, Szijjártó said he had discussed progress on the Paks II nuclear power plant investment with Likhachev.
“Rosatom’s cooperation with German, French, Swiss, Hungarian and American suppliers as well as partners from other countries is advancing smoothly,” he added.
read also: Hungary’s dependence on Russian oil is problematic, according to analyst – Here’s why
In a separate post, Szijjártó said he had discussed the circumstances of the Kursk and Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plants with Grossi and acknowledged the director general’s neutral approach to nuclear challenges.
General conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said Hungary’s Paks II nuclear power plant project was a good example of how nuclear cooperation could bring back “rationality and common sense”, as well as hope for “a peaceful coexistence”, to global politics, addressing the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Monday.
Szijjártó noted that the Russian general contractor for the Paks II project was working with German, French, American, Swiss and Austrian partners.
He said the two new reactors at the Paks nuclear power plant would raise the country’s share of nuclear to 70pc, while cutting gas consumption by 3bn cubic metres and reducing CO2 emissions by 17m tonnes.
He said 25,000 piles were already in the ground at the site of the Paks II investment, pit excavation was about to start, a thousand workers were on site and the first concrete would be poured by the end of the year. Meanwhile, he added that Hungary was working to extend the lifecycle of the existing four blocks at Paks.
Szijjártó said the nuclear sector could not isolate itself from risks in the “age of dangers”, pointing to the impact on nuclear power plants of the war in Ukraine.
He said the rapidly changing global economy had caused demand for electricity to rise exponentially, adding that nuclear power was the only source of energy that could meet that demand in a cheap, safe and environmentally friendly way. Without nuclear power, the fight against global warming won’t be successful and climate targets won’t be achieved, he said.
Representing the European Union at the meeting, Szijjártó said the EU had attached the “utmost importance” to nuclear safety and advanced a legally binding nuclear safety framework. He added that the development of small modular reactors demanded that the highest level of safety had to be ensured.
He affirmed the EU’s commitment to cooperation with the IAEA.
He called for the IAEA to play a stronger role to ensure the secure delivery of nuclear fuel, adding that no country could obstruct the right of another country over the supply of their own energy mix.
The Republic of Korea’s Permanent Representative has been elected as the President of the IAEA’s 68th General Conference, read details HERE.
The Paks II project is moving forward, with plans for a complex to accommodate 5,000 workers to support its growing Russian workforce. This has raised questions and concerns about the arrival of Russian professionals in Hungary.
Paks II project in progress
According to Economx, the Paks II project is advancing steadily, with significant developments currently underway. In the initial phase, a complex to house 5,000 workers will be constructed. There have been concerns about the city’s capacity to handle this influx of workers; however, officials have reassured that the increase in population will not overwhelm the town of Paks.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
The next steps
Péter Rákóczi, Communications Director of Paks II Ltd, has outlined several key construction milestones, including the completion of a diaphragm wall and soil consolidation to a depth of 23 metres, particularly under units 5 and 6. Additional progress includes the completion of a concrete plant complex and the ongoing construction of a large steel products workshop. A significant development in August was the arrival of the 730-tonne melting trap, while the reactor vessel is still being manufactured in Russia.
Source: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
Where will the Russian workers live?
The Paks II project continues to expand, with the current workforce of 1,000 expected to rise to 8,000-10,000 at peak times. Consequently, the issue of their accommodation has become a hot topic. Péter Rákóczi stated:
“They will be accommodated in the immediate vicinity of the work area. This island-like zone will provide all the essential infrastructure for the workers, from catering to healthcare services and recreation (e.g. sports fields). As such, the thousands of workers will not directly burden the city. Discussions are already underway between the authorities regarding the construction of the first phase of a complex to house five thousand people.”
A facility for 300 workers was completed last autumn, ensuring smooth progress for the project. Tatjána Kern, who coordinates Russian personnel for Rosatom, assists Russian workers with settling in. She notes that most of the workers are experienced professionals who typically return home after construction. However, when older professionals arrive in Hungary, they are likely to bring their families. This has led to speculation about whether a Russian school will be established near Paks in the future.
Output of Hungary’s industrial-scale solar parks with a capacity of over 50 kW reached a record 3,242 MW last Friday in the quarter hour between 1 pm and 1.15 pm, the energy ministry said on Facebook.
Citing data from state-owned transmission system operator Mavir, the ministry said that, including household solar panels, Hungary’s solar power output exceeded the 2030 target output of 6,000 MW as early as February this year, and was now approaching 6,800 MW.
The ministry said that by the end of August, 1,134 quarter hours had seen solar power output exceed last year’s high of 2,731 MW.
Paks construction ‘reaches new milestone’
A new milestone has been reached with the completion of soil works under Block 5 of the Paks nuclear power plant, and similar works under Block 6 are under way, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Monday.
Countries that produce most of their energy requirements are generally regarded as “safe”, the minister said on Facebook, adding that Hungary was intent on speeding up construction of the plant’s two new blocks.
Today Szijjarto spoke by phone with Rosatom chief executive Aleksey Likhacsov, and they reviewed key tasks for the next few weeks with a view to accelerating the project. He said more than 1,000 people were working at the site and this number would soon increase significantly.
Once in 2022, twice in 2023, and again this year, the output of the Paks nuclear power plant had to be reduced due to the increased water temperature of the Danube. The government would reduce the burden on the plant with a new decree, with Paks II potentially changing the status quo in the future.
On 15 and 16 August, the power output of the Paks nuclear power plant had to be reduced because the water temperature of the Danube exceeded the limit of 29.5 degrees Celsius and then 29.75 degrees Celsius. The output of several units was reduced by 80 megawatts each, and by 18 August, the water temperature in the Danube had moved in a favourable direction, allowing the first two units affected to operate at nominal capacity again, while the fourth unit is now operating at 50 percent capacity due to planned maintenance.
In practice, however, as Portfolio points out, this means that the net output of the plant has increased by 70 MW since the 50 percent capacity is greater than the previous total load.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
New regulation for Danube temperatures near the Paks nuclear power plant
According to current regulations, the temperature of the Danube within half a kilometre of the power plant’s cooling water outlet cannot exceed 30 degrees Celsius in order to protect the environment and wildlife. Should the water temperature in a section 500 metres downstream from the cooling water intake exceed the limit of 29.5 degrees Celsius, power output must be reduced by 80 megawatts for every 0.1 degrees Celsius, according to the plant’s internal regulations.
However, as Népszava writes, this may change, based on a decree that came into force on Thursday evening, 15 August, and was signed by the energy minister, which states that in order to ensure the security of supply, the energy minister—after informing the minister responsible for the environment and water—may authorise the 30-degree limit to be exceeded in certain cases.
The specific justifications and circumstances for such a decision, for how long the higher temperature can be sustained, and what exactly this temperature may be, are not detailed in the regulation. Moreover, as Népszava points out, Csaba Lantos, as Minister of Environment, must notify himself about the decision, as the minister responsible for environmental issues as well.
Radio Free Europe suggested that the decision was motivated by two considerations of energy policy. On the one hand, the annual warming of the Danube is expected to make similar exceedances more frequent. According to G7, the loss of nuclear capacity can lead to supply security problems and rising electricity prices. The decree could provide a solution for these issues.
Secondly, switching the reactors on and off, as well as constant changes in power output have an impact on the longevity of the Paks nuclear power plant, which legislators are naturally trying to prolong as much as possible.
However, as the paper puts it,
“both reasons are unacceptable if the ecological environment has to foot the bill”.
Paks Nuclear Power Plant Hungary. Photo: Facebook/MVM Paksi Atomerőmű Zrt.
Paks II may add to the environmental burden
As G7 also points out, future summers are expected to be hotter and hotter by the year, warming the Danube water to near or above the critical 30 degrees more frequently. In addition, the Paks II investment will further increase the heat load from the nuclear power plants on the Danube, which means that much more cooling water will be needed in the area.
Back in 2014, HVG wrote: “The water demand of the current four units [of the Paks nuclear power plant] is about one hundred cubic metres per second. With the commissioning of the planned two new units, the plant’s water demand could increase significantly. […] If the first new unit starts production in 2032 before the first old unit is shut down, the water demand could approximately double.”
As the paper suggested at the time, the case of Paks (and Paks II) is closely linked with the long-term river regulation of the Danube, but power plants are not the only sector interested in water use: the shipping sector, for example, has a completely opposite opinion on the dredging of the river bed, which is unfavourable for Paks.
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Unexpected: Russia may build a third nuclear power plant in Hungary by 2035!
Pál Kovács, the director of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant (Paks NPP), Hungary’s sole NPP, talked about the Hungarian government considering building Hungary’s third nuclear power plant with Russian technology. However, its location will probably not be Paks. He discussed that in an interview with Ria Novosti, the Russian state-owned domestic news agency.
Groundbreaking Russian technology for Hungary’s third nuclear power plant?
According to portfolio.hu, the government will select the third nuclear power plant’s technology only after they find its location. Theoretically, it would be a small modular reactor (SMR), and the Russians would build it since only Moscow has the technology to make it operable.
Csaba Lantos, Hungary’s energy minister, talked about a possible new NPP in Hungary, adding the SMR technology, so Kovács’s interview does not come out of the blue.
Kovács said that before the building process starts, Hungary must find a seismically resistant venue for the new block(s) and get all the necessary permissions. He highlighted that only one SMR block is operable now. The floating NPP in Pevek is in the Chukotka region of northeast Russia.
The Akademik Lomonosov, Russia’s floating NPP. Photo: Creative Commons
Will the new NPP be ready by 2035?
The power plant, named Akademik Lomonosov after the 18th-century Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov, is providing heat and power for the town with two KLT-40S reactors generating 35 MW each, power-technology.com wrote. Thus, it can supply a population of up to 100,000 people. Rosatom’s fuel division, TVEL delivers the fuel, but refuelling takes place only once every few years. There can be up to three and a half years between refuelling.
The SMR reactor started operation in December 2019 as a pilot project. It is said to be the first of a fleet of floating NPPs in Russia. Rosatom was constructing four other SMR power plants at the end of 2023 and plans to export them.
Interestingly, the MVM Group mentioned installing an SMR NPP by 2035 in a paper, but they were writing about 300 MW performance.
Paks NPP supplies almost 50% of Hungary’s electricity production. The two new blocks, equipped with Russian VVER-1200 III+ reactors, will double that share, Ria Novosti wrote. They also highlighted that Hungary regards nuclear energy as key to the country’s energy safety.
The Paks NPP. The third one will not be here. Photo: FB/Paks NPP
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Melt trap arrived at Paks Nuclear Power Plant – Read more HERE
The arrival of a melt trap indicates “another milestone” in the country’s nuclear plant upgrade now under way at Paks, in southern Hungary, the foreign minister said on Thursday.
The massive, new equipment, 15 metres high, 11 metres in diameter and weighing over 730 tonnes, was produced in Russia, Péter Szijjártó said, adding that it would be placed directly below the reactor to catch spilt liquid in an emergency.
The minister said the production process in Russia had been monitored by Hungarian experts and representatives of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Office “to ensure that the best and most secure equipment is completed”.
Source: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
The Hungarian side approved the melt trap’s completion on March 29, he said, but noted that shipping had taken a long time. “An Austrian company organised shipping, that took 42 days … shipping across the Black Sea and along the River Danube involved reloading the melt trap and its accessories several times,” Szijjártó said.
He said construction was going ahead “full steam” with 900 people working at the site, but added that at peak times of the project the headcount could reach 8,000-10,000 people. He said 21,000 posts out of a planned 76,000 to stabilise the soil had been sunk, while the soil under the new fifth block was 86 percent complete.
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Does the Hungarian government let in many Eastern guest workers unchecked with card scheme? – Read more HERE
The Hungarian government expanded the National Card scheme programme from 8 July with Russian and Belarusian citizens. The scheme allows them to come to Hungary even with their families, get a job in sectors that are not struggling with labour shortages, and extend their permits multiple times. Finally, they could even get residence status in Hungary. A Russian expert believes the expansion raises lots of national security concerns.
Lots of Eastern guest workers may come with families
According to forbes.hu, the Hungarian government opened the Schengen national security gate for Russians and Belarusians coming with National Cards to work and live in Hungary. Guest workers from eight countries may get a National Card: the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. Before 8 July, Russia and Belarus were not on the list.
Guest workers in Hungary. Will Russians and Belarusians flood the market? Photo: PrtScr/Youtube
The National Card has multiple advantages. First, there is no limit to the number of guest workers coming with it. Secondly, there are no excluded jobs and the future guest workers do not have to submit certificates that their work is needed in Hungary. When they prolong the permit, they do not have to take a cultural knowledge exam. Finally, those obtaining a National Card can bring their family to Hungary. You may get your National Card for 2 years, but your stay can be extended for three years for unlimited times.
But where will the Russians and Belarusians work?
The simplest answer is the Paks II nuclear power plant extension carried out by Rosatom. András Rácz, a Hungarian Russian expert, said thousands of Russians already live in Hungary and are taking part in the operation of Paks. Hungarian authorities adapted to that.
However, since Rosatom cannot make an EU-conform authorisation plan for the expansion, the nuclear technology phase of the construction will not begin soon. Therefore, it is hard to explain why the Hungarian government would like to let in many Russians and Belarusians now.
Paks II. Will the Russians literally build it? Source: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
Even if Russians came to help build Paks II, they would not need a National Card, making them eligible for all jobs in Hungary. Russian discount chain Mere is also coming to Hungary, but it is hard to imagine that Russian cashiers will work there.
The new scheme may substitute the Russian ‘spy bank’
The International Investment Bank (IIB) ceased operations in Hungary after US Ambassador David Pressman’s concerns. Forbes wrote that the bank provided background for Russian intelligence, so it was a Trojan horse of the Russian government in Europe. Even so, the Hungarian government granted it exceptional freedom. For example, they were tax-free, and their employees and guests could come and commute unchecked in Hungary.
The American pressure made them leave Hungary, though they still owe billions and a Budapest palace to Hungary. Mr Rácz believes the new expanded National Card scheme allows crowds of Russians and Belarusians to come to Hungary unchecked. As Alexander Graham Bell said, “when one door closes, another door opens”.
Putin and Orbán in July in Moscow. Did they touch on the issue of Russian guest workers? Photo: FB/Orbán
Rácz said the Hungarian authorities were unprepared to check masses of Russian and Belarusian guest workers and their families. “I see serious national security risk in that depending on how many will come”, he highlighted.
Rácz suggested that if Russia wants to send spies with the programme, their activity may not be confined to Hungary, but to any Schengen Zone country. Obtaining a National Card allows you to travel everywhere in the zone.
Of course, there is a chance that the government will modify the rules of obtaining and using the National Card.
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Here’s the new list of countries from which guest workers can come to Hungary – read more HERE
Number of guest workers exceed psychological barrier in Hungary – details in THISarticle
The upgrade of the Paks nuclear plant is progressing apace, with the number of workers there at 900 and growing, the manufacturing of equipment with long production times under way, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said in Istanbul on Wednesday, adding that the construction was en route to conclude the two new blocks by the start of the next decade.
Péter Szijjártósaid ahead of a meeting with Alexey Likhachev, the head of general contractor Rosatom, that they would discuss the state of the works and the most important tasks of the period ahead, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.
Szijjártó said that the group of Russian, western European, American and Hungarian companies working on the project raised hope that “at some point, everyone will return to common sense, once we’re over the political and ideological issues and the war psychosis.”
Currently, soil stabilisation is under way, a cruical step ahead of pouring concrete, which is expected to start “in a few months”, he said.
Photo: FB/Paks NPP
New equipment is expected to arrive
Regarding the equipment with extremely long manufacturing times, the melt trap has been completed and is currently making its way up the Danube from Romania, he said. The 750-tonne equipment is expected to arrive within 2 weeks, he said.
The government has secured the investment by achieving its exemption from European Union sanctions, he said: “the smooth flow of construction, engineering and financial completion” will flow without obstruction.
Source: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
Once operational, the Paks plantwill supply some 70 percent of the country’s electricity demand, increasing its progressiveness, he said. It is also key to preserve the utility price caps, he said. Also, it will cut annual gas consumption by 3 billion cubic meters, and carbon dioxide emmissions by 17 million tonnes, the minister added.
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Chinese could emerge around Paks II construction in Hungary
Hungarian interests have been protected in the face of the European Union’s latest sanctions package against Russia, as Hungary’s nuclear plant in Paks has received full exemption from the measures, allowing works on its expansion to speed up, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Luxembourg on Monday.
Paks exempt from EU sanctions
Adoption of the 14th package was “the continuation of an utterly failed strategy”, Szijjártó said during a break of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
Hungary had engaged in sharp debates during the preparation period “to protect ourselves, our national interests and energy security”, Szijjártósaid, according to a ministry statement.
“We’ve reached the objective of having it stated in this directive that the construction of the new Paks nuclear power plant and all its processes, stages and elements are completely exempted from sanctioning measures,” he said.
Inside the Paks NPP. Photo: facebook.com/paksiatomeromu
“This means that the European companies participating in the investment — and we have many French, German and Austrian companies — will not have to apply for permits from the authorities of member states.”
Hungarian presidency will focus on enlargement
“This general exemption has created a situation regarding the Paks investment as if there were no war in Ukraine, and the war did not entail sanctions or economic restrictions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Szijjártó said the upcoming Hungarian presidency will focus on speeding up the EU’s enlargement process in the Western Balkans.
Szijjártó said the membership candidates in the region had been waiting for membership for “more than 15 years … because some western European countries continue to hamper the process, citing so-called issues of merit. The same countries are not so meticulous regarding the same merits when it comes to Ukraine.”
Photo: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
He said that was a “mockery” of the enlargement process, adding that Western Balkans countries must be assessed “realistically, pragmatically, and not on an ideological basis”.
EU to fund sustainable energy upgrades in Hungary
The European Commission has earmarked 2.9 billion euros to support 39 sustainable energy initiatives in 10 member states, with Hungary receiving 76.8 million euros for the upgrade and development of sustainable district heating, the EC said on Monday.
The funding was paid through the EU’s Modernisation Fund, set up in 2021 to funnel revenues from auctioning emission allowances to upgrades furthering the EU’s climate goals.
Projects were funded in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The Fund aims to support schemes helping EU member states in achieving their climate and energy policy goals and contribute to the EU achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
Besides the 10 states participating in the project, the Modernisation Fund also supports Greece, Portugal and Slovenia.
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