In collaboration with the Russian energy giant Rosatom, the Hungarian government announced on Friday that the building of a site for the construction of two new nuclear reactors will start in the coming weeks. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto of Hungary hailed the National Regulatory Authority’s approval, which had been delayed the day before, saying in a video recording that was posted on his Facebook page: It is a big step.
He added that the two reactors are anticipated to be operational by 2030 and that we can now move from the initial stage to the constructing stage, which you will see in the upcoming weeks at the Bax site.
This divisive project highlights the long-standing friendship between Russian President Vladimir Putin and nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Hungary’s stance on this issue has not altered, in contrast to the desires of its friends in the European Union to be freed from Moscow.
Beginning in the month of May, a significant agreement inked in January 2014 was signed in Finland, granting Rosatom the right to construct two reactors known as Pax 2 at the location of Hungary’s sole nuclear power plant, around an hour’s drive from Budapest. 5 billion euros, up to 80% of that amount, or 10 billion euros with a loan from Russia to Hungary, which will pay for the remaining 2.5 billion euros.
The new units, each of which may hold one, have 1.
2 gigatonnes will be added to the four existing reactors constructed in the 1980s, which produce about half of the entire energy output. Energy costs are highly erratic. Hungary disagrees with the EU’s approach on sanctions and has recently boosted its cooperation with Moscow in the gas sector by negotiating for larger supply than previously agreed.
Within weeks, Russia will construct two nuclear reactors in Hungary.
About Author
