According to the Government Commissioner in Charge of Maintaining the Performance of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant Attila Aszódi, the fuel supply contract of the two new blocks of the plant will be finalized based on the Finnish model; the agreement may soon be concluded.

At a press talk organised by energy portal Energiainfo.hu on Wednesday, the Government Commissioner said that there is no obligation to acquire fuel from suppliers other than Roszatom. The EU, however, (in line with the Finnish model) does set the requirement of a provision which - after a period of ten years - allows for inviting other suppliers who can offer fuel compatible with the reactor.

Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office János Lázár told MTI on Tuesday that they have succeeded in settling all issues with the representatives of Euratom Supply Agency (ESA) and have initialled the agreement.

At the press talk, Mr Aszódi pointed out that according to the Euratom agreement, the fuel supply contract will have three, instead of two signatories: apart from the buyer and the seller, Euratom will also have to sign it.

Over the last period, Hungary and Euratom have held numerous discussions in order to make the fuel supply contract of Pask II acceptable to the European organisation.

Mr Aszódi emphasised that the Euratom agreement set out that the contract has to be submitted for approval to Euratom within ten days of its signing, and Hungary has complied with this requirement. According to the agreement, ESA has the possibility to voice its objections and to request modifications.

The Tuesday discussion round shows that there are no substantial open issues left – the Government Commissioner said, adding that the contract signed by all three parties may soon be concluded.

He also pointed out that ESA had requested modifications in the case of the fuel supply contract of the Finnish nuclear power plant as well.

Talking about the Finnish model, the Government Commissioner stressed that testing the fuel of alternative suppliers and actually allowing them to enter after ten years had been important issues.

(Prime Minister's Office)