Hungary issues permits for Paks II NPP construction, first concrete pouring scheduled for Feb

MOSCOW. Nov 5 (Interfax) - The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority has issued the required permits to begin main construction of the Paks II Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the media center of Rosatom, the Russian state corporation implementing the project, said.

The company said that these permits allow the pouring of the first concrete in the foundation of Unit 5 of the Paks NPP.

A permit has also been issued for the construction of the nuclear island buildings.

"The permits allow us to begin full-scale construction, including active preparation for the first concrete, considered to be start of the main phase of the power unit's construction," the media center said.

"The work is scheduled to begin in February 2026," it said.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said the first concrete for Paks II would be poured no later than the beginning of February 2026. He said that, consistent with the current schedule, this stage would be reached no later than the beginning of February.

In late September, Rosatom's first deputy head Kirill Komarov said at the World Atomic Week that the company was hoping to begin implementing the Paks II NPP project in Hungary "in the near future."

"In Hungary, despite all the trials and tribulations, the Paks NPP is moving ahead. It cannot be stopped by any court decisions because these only concern procedural matters," Komarov said.

On September 11, the EU court reversed the decision to finance the construction of two power units of Paks II NPP in Hungary, the corresponding decision is available in the court files.

The decision reverses the previous authorization by the European Commission of financial support to the project by Hungary of 2017.

According to the court materials, the main financing of the project should come from a Russian loan in an amount of up to 10 billion euros. Another 2.5 billion euros was expected to be provided from the Hungarian budget.

Rosatom said its "continues implementing the project in collaboration with the Hungarian partners."

In 2009, the Hungarian parliament approved expansion of the Paks NPP, the only working NPP in the country, built according to a Soviet project, by building two other power units. The value of the project was estimated at 12.5 billion euros. Moscow and Budapest signed an agreement on the provision of a long-term loan in an amount of up to 10 billion euros for the construction of the NPP in 2014.

In late August 2022, the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority gave Rosatom permission to build Power Units 5 and 6 of the NPP. In May 2023, the European Commission approved amendments to the agreements on the construction and financing of the facility.

Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev told reporters in August the company hoped to pour the first concrete in November 2025.