Paris Backs Framatome's Participation in Hungary's Paks-2 NPP With Rosatom - Reports

PARIS (Sputnik) - The French Ministry of Energy Transition greenlighted the participation of French companies in the construction of 2 new power units for the Paks-2 NPP in Hungary together with Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, reported French newspaper, citing people close to French Minister for Energy Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher.

According to the report, the French and Hungarian authorities share a "common belief in nuclear power" despite possible disagreements on a number of other issues.

The newspaper quoted sources as saying that "the French government has given the authorization to Framatome" for the construction of two new power units in the absence of sanctions against Russia in the nuclear industry.

"French nuclear industry players support our European partners, and in particular Hungary, in all their efforts and in all the projects on their soil as long as they strictly respect the European framework of international sanctions," sources told the media, adding that "if French stakeholders wish to enter into partnerships with other European players, we will not prevent them from doing so."

Despite Russia's loan for the construction of the power units, "final beneficiaries" of the project will be Hungarians, the sources said, while emphasizing the need to switch from thermal power stations to nuclear power plants to combat climate change.

In mid-March, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that France's Framatome would participate more actively in the construction of the Paks-2 NPP.

In January, Szijjarto said that construction of the Paks NPP is being obstructed by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and German Economy Minister Robert Habeck from the Green Party, who do not issue permits to Siemens for the construction of new units. The Hungarian foreign minister recalled that Germany has not yet issued a permit to Siemens Energy to participate in the construction, which is unfair because "the issue of energy supply is in the national competence" of EU member states.

In late 2014, Russia and Hungary signed an agreement on the construction of two advanced reactors in addition to four existing reactors of the Paks NPP, Hungary's only nuclear power plant. The project was titled "Paks-2." The sides agreed that Russia would allocate up to 10 billion euros ($10.9 billion) in a loan to finance the construction of the units, while the total cost was expected to reach 12.5 billion euros.

In February, Rosatom said that the construction of the Paks-2 NPP is scheduled to begin in 2024.

Currently, Paks generates almost half of all electricity in Hungary, with the share due to double after the planned commissioning of the new reactors. The Hungarian authorities consider nuclear energy as the best way to ensure the country's energy security.