Rosatom, Hungary discussing expansion of Paks NPP - Hungarian FM

MOSCOW. Nov 21 (Interfax) - Russia's Rosatom state nuclear energy corporation and Hungary are discussing the expansion of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, according to a message posted by Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on his official social media page.

"Expanding the Paks NPP is in the interest of both national strategy and national security in Hungary," Szijjarto posted.

Szijjarto said that the parties last week discussed the necessary steps in the short and long term in order to count on two new Paks power units by the end of the decade.

The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) at the end of August issued Rosatom a permit to construct the fifth and sixth power units at the Paks NPP, and the first concrete is expected to be poured in autumn 2023.

The Paks NPP is currently the sole Soviet-designed NPP in Hungary, and it has four operating power units with VVER-440 reactors with total capacity of about 2 GW.

The Hungarian parliament in 2009 approved the construction of two new power units at the Paks NPP, though the lengthy proceedings of the European Commission have affected the construction timeframes.

As reported, the project costs around 12.5 billion euros, and Rosatom signed contracts in December 2014 on completing the NPP. Russia and Hungary in March of the same year entered into an agreement on providing a long-term loan of up to 10 billion euros.