Is the issue of the Rosatom project in Hungary closed? Magyar will give money for Paks-2

This year, after the change of governments, the Hungarian authorities will give even more funds to the second phase of the Paks NPP.

"After last year's 160.8 billion forints, this year the Tissa government will allocate 206.6 billion forints (more than 300 million euros) for the construction of the Paks-2 nuclear power plant," Nepszava reports with reference to the draft of the Fiscal Council on amending the 2026 budget.

As the newspaper notes, the draft amendments to the budget will be submitted to parliament within a few days.

"In this case, the state does not pay the costs directly, but recapitalizes Paks II. Zrt. and the state—owned company pays according to the schedule of incoming bills from Rosatom," Nepszava clarified. Additional capital is required "due to the need for additional funds by the specified company since the beginning of the year."

The existing Paks NPP has a capacity of 2 GW, and two power units to be built by Rosatom will add another 2.4 GW. The construction cost is estimated at 12 billion euros, of which 10 billion is a loan from Russia.

Compared to the projects of Western and Korean companies in Europe, Paks-2 will be the most economical.

Nevertheless, the new head of the Hungarian government, Peter Magyar, who came to power in the spring elections, has repeatedly questioned the project. Sometimes he talked about the price being too high, then he asked questions about how two more reactors could work if the existing power units could not work at the level of the Danube in the summer.

The head of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, in turn, stated that the state corporation is ready for dialogue, as well as ready to answer any questions that arise from the Hungarian leadership in the language of figures and facts.

"So far we have not received any appeals," the head of the state corporation, Alexei Likhachev, told the corporate edition of the Country of Rosatom.

According to him, in February, the first concrete of the foundation slab of the reactor building began to be poured at the construction site of the fifth power unit of the Paks NPP and it has already been completed by more than 80%.

The director of AtomInfo-Center, Alexander Uvarov, noted to EADaily that Peter Magyar so often makes public statements threatening the project that his behavior resembles trading in oriental bazaars.

"The question of whether the project will continue under the Magyar is closed?" — the RealAtomInfo telegram channel wonders after reports of the allocation of funds by the Hungarian government.