According to the Government Commissioner for the upgrade of NPP Paks Attila Aszodi, the project for the expansion of Hungarian sole nuclear power plant will receive environmental certificate by the end of this year.
Aszodi added that an application for the location permit may also be submitted by the end of this year. According to plan, the building permit for the two new reactors at NPP Paks should be obtained by 2018. He said that it is expected that new units should be online in 2025 and 2026.
On 14 January 2014, Hungarian government has signed deal with Russia`s atomic energy corporation – Rosatom, with a goal to increase output of the power plant, from current 2,000 MW to 4,400 MW by adding two more reactors. Under the agreement, Russia will provide 10 billion euros loan for the construction of new unit in existing NPP, which is around 80% of estimated construction cost. First unit is expected to become operational in 2023. However, In mid-January the European Commission released a report in which it states that Hungary has failed to provide sufficient information to support its argument that the agreement for the expansion of NPP Paks will not provide the company unfair economic advantage. The PM’s Office reiterated that stand of the Hungarian Government is that the project for the expansion of NPP Paks is competitive and expects that the investment will be returned through increased revenues of the company, so it does not constitute as state aid, transmits Serbia-energy.eu
