MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Rosatom is doing everything to maximize the localization of the construction of the Paks-2 nuclear power plant (NPP) in Hungary and primarily attract local suppliers and contractors, ASE JSC Branch Office in Hungary (part of Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division) said during a seminar for potential suppliers of Paks II NPP project.
"Today Rosatom is the only company expanding its presence on the global nuclear market. In all the countries of operation we welcome cooperation with local companies, and today we are speaking in favor of participation of primarily Hungarian contractors and suppliers in Paks II NPP project," ASE JSC Vice President for International Development Alexander Merten said.
"Currently we are preparing for the first concrete which may happen in 2024. ASE JSC Branch Office in Hungary will do its best to ensure maximal localization and participation in the project of all the interested companies," Vice President of ASE JSC - Director of Paks NPP construction project Vitaly Polyanin said. He believes that the large number of the participants proves a huge interest of companies in the project which last year entered the main stage and is now gaining momentum, the statement said.
The Paks NPP, which was built with Soviet technologies, and which uses Russian nuclear fuel, provides half of all generated and one third of consumed electricity in Hungary. Currently, four power units with VVER-440 reactors operate at the station built about 100 km south of Budapest on the banks of the Danube. Currently, preparations are underway for the construction of two new power units designed by Rosatom. At the same time, preparations are underway for the construction of facilities as part of the second stage of the Rosatom project. Specifically, those new units are called Paks-2. The Hungarian government expects that after two new VVER-1200 nuclear reactors are commissioned the plant's capacity will increase from its current levels of 2,000 MW to 4,400 MW.