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EU readiness for compromise on Paks nuclear project with Russia, Hungary confirmed

The term of Russia’s exclusive nuclear fuel supplies to the new reactors has been reduced to 10 years from 20 years

© ITAR-TASS/Yevgeny Kurskov

BRUSSELS, April 21. /TASS/. The European Commission confirms a compromise decision made by the EU’s nuclear watchdog Euroatom on Russian nuclear fuel supplies for two reactors of the Hungarian Paks NPP, EC spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said on Tuesday.

Hungary earlier awarded a contract on the construction of two power units of the Paks nuclear power plant to Russian civilian nuclear power corporation Rosatom. The problem of fuel supplies was a major problem impeding the contract fulfillment.

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"This issue is not in the sphere of the European Commission’s competence but I can say that Euroatom has reached agreement with Hungary on nuclear fuel supplies for the Paks NPP," the EC spokesperson said.

A source told TASS news agency on Monday that a compromise decision on Russian nuclear fuel supplies for the Paks NPP had been reached.

"Euroatom lifted its objections to the delivery of Russian nuclear fuel to these reactors, after the term of Russia’s exclusive nuclear fuel supplies to these reactors was reduced to 10 years from 20 years," the source said.

This information was later confirmed by Minister of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office Janos Lazar. In an interview with Hungarian news agency MTI, he said Hungary’s government was continuing technical consultations with the European Commission on the compliance of the Russia deal with the EU competition and public procurement rules.

Russia and Hungary signed documents in January 2014 on building new power units on the site of Hungary’s sole Paks NPP that had been constructed by Soviet specialists.

Immediately after the deal was signed, attempts were made in Europe to block it, including an active campaign in the leading European media that accused Budapest of increasing its energy dependence on Russia.

However, Hungarian government spokesman for the Paks NPP project Attila Aszodi told TASS news agency that the NPP contract between Russia and Hungary had been approved by the European Commission and had not evoked any critical remarks since 2013.

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