MVM Paksi Atomerőműn head Péter János Horváth has announced the extension of the Paks nuclear plant's lifespan to the European Union.
Horváth said the October announcement was the first step in a decade-long process that would prolong the plant’s operating licence until 2052-57. The two already operating blocks of the plant went online between 1982 and 1987, he said. Their lifespan was extended once already, until 2032-37. Nuclear energy and sustainable resources are both key to a secure energy supply, he told a press conference ahead of the tour of parts of the plant for journalists. Hungary’s electricity demand is expected to grow by 150% by 2030, he said. While the Russian supplier of the plant has been a reliable partner for four decades, Horváth said the plant was looking into ways to diversify its supply lines. Deputy Director Pál Tóth said the extension would require the completion of some 250 reconstruction projects, half of which are expected to cost more than one billion forints (EUR 2.6m). Revamping the electric and control systems would be in the 1.5-billion-euro range, he said. Mihály Czibula, the leader of the extension project, said the implementation plan is expected to be submitted in 2028.