The Hungarian Atomic Energy Agency (OAH – Országos Atomenergia Hivatal) has issued permission to Paks II Atomerőmű Zrt, the company responsible for the expansion of the Paks NPP, to resume construction work at the site. Work was stopped in January when part of the 700-metre perimeter wall of the foundation pit collapsed.
OAH immediately banned Paks II from further work on the southern wall affected by the collapse and demanded that it check the stability of the walls throughout the working pit and strengthen parts considered potentially hazardous. It also requested a detailed description of the methods and actions which would make it possible to forecast similar situations threatening safety at work, once the abnormal condition has been eliminated.
Authorities said that specialists from Paks II checked the condition of all walls of the quarry fence “identified potentially dangerous areas and removed damaged, unstable parts where similar risks of block separation and collapse arose”.
OAH stated that, after reviewing the documents submitted and conducting a site inspection, it had lifted the work ban subject to the installation of “a slope protection network on the affected areas of the inner walls of the enclosure”. It added that “continuous monitoring should be carried out during construction work to track and document movements of the water table, the inner walls of the quarry worker’s enclosure and surrounding buildings”.
OAH also demanded a review of the levels of intervention and notification of the monitoring system “in order to more accurately predict similar movements in the future and implement possible preventive measures in a timely manner”. Other work, such as the first concrete fill, can take place only after the requirements specified in other OAH permits are met and accepted. OAH is exploring the suitability of soil consolidation as part of a separate procedure.
First concrete was planned for this year, but Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Peter Szijjártó told RIA Novosti that it is now expected to take place next year. He did not indicate the reason for the delay, but commented that “the political situation in the world is completely unhealthy”.
The Paks II project was launched in 2014 by an inter-governmental agreement between Hungary and Russia for two VVER-1200 reactors to be supplied by Rosatom. The contract was supported by a Russian state loan to finance the majority of the project. The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority issued the licence for the units in August 2022. The Paks NPP comprises four VVER-440 power units launched between 1982 and 1987. Paks currently provides half of all generated and one third of the consumed electricity in Hungary.
Preparatory work for the construction of unit 5 (also known as Paks II unit 1), was on schedule until the wall collapse. At the same time work is progressing in Russia where long-lead components of the nuclear islands are being manufactured. In August 2024, Rosatom delivered the first large component – the melt trap – to the construction site.
