Concrete Poured for Hungary's Paks 2 Nuclear Project

Hungary's Paks 2 nuclear plant officially began construction with the pouring of concrete. Built by Russia’s Rosatom, it will host two VVER reactors. Completion is expected by 2030, despite delays. This expansion aims to meet 70% of Hungary's electricity needs, reducing reliance on international markets.

On Thursday, Hungary marked a significant milestone as the first concrete was poured for the Paks 2 nuclear plant, heralding its transition to an active construction project.

Hungary has contracted Russia's Rosatom to build two VVER reactors, each with a 1.2 gigawatts capacity. This 12.5 billion euro project symbolizes the strong ties between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite facing delays.

The project aims to cover 70% of Hungary's electricity demand from nuclear energy, reducing its dependency on international energy markets. The construction, unaffected by U.S. sanctions due to a granted exception, is set for completion between 2030 and 2031.

(With inputs from agencies.)