Contract amendment signed, Paks expansion enters new phase

An amendment to the construction contract for the Paks expansion has been signed, which will complete the preparatory phase of the project, and thus the actual physical construction can begin as the second phase, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced in Budapest on Friday, according to the Ministry.

The Minister had a video call with Alexey Likhachov, the head of Roszatom, and personally received Alexander Merten, the project director and vice-president of the Russian company in charge of the construction of the Roszatom nuclear power plant. In a joint press conference with the Project Director, the Minister described the construction of new nuclear reactor units as a critical national interest, and an important milestone has been reached.

The project will go faster, easier and simpler

He pointed out that this investment was covered by the financial and construction contracts, both of which had to be amended due to changed circumstances. The amended financial contract entered into force on 16 August and this allowed the signature of the amendment to the construction contract. "There are several provisions in this amendment that will allow us to move forward more quickly, easily and simply in the coming period," he said.

The first concrete moment is within reach

He also stressed that

In Paks, the gap walling works are going on 24 hours a day, 467 metres have already been built, and excavation under Block 6 is starting, and further planning is going on at a high pace. Meanwhile, the production of long production time equipment is ongoing, and soil stabilisation could start in the autumn.

"All this, with today's signing of the contract, moving into the second phase, acceleration, will allow us to reach the so-called first concrete moment by the end of next year, as we originally intended, and to reach another very important milestone in the coming year", he underlined.