On Wednesday, Government Commissioner for Maintaining the Performance of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant Attila Aszódi told public television channel M1 that “one of the major tasks of preparing for the Paks Nuclear Power Plant expansion is the site investigation, the aim of which is to determine what effect the environment could have on the power station and to ensure that these factors are taken into account during planning”.

Experts are examining the territory of the power plant from various perspectives, such as meteorological, hydrological and geological, and are preparing a detailed report on possible dangers that must be excluded during planning, he explained.

Mr. Aszódi stressed that geological exploration is an important part of the site investigation programme. A total of 9 kilometres will be drilled at 8 deep borehole sites in the vicinity of the Plant. During the course of the core drilling investigation, all samples will be extracted and examined by geologists to determine a detailed geological model.

Hungary has concluded a project management contract with the Russian party, he pointed out. The Russian partners and their sub-contractors from around the world are expected to deliver a power plant that will be capable of operating for 60 years, within the allotted deadline and at the price determined in the contract.

Mr. Aszódi also said that an agreement had been reached with the European Commission regarding the classified nature of the Paks project and negotiations are ongoing in a forward-looking and constructive atmosphere within the related working groups concerning the questions of state funding and procurement. It is hoped that the Commission will issue a resolution by the end of June.

(Prime Minister's Office)