Palkovics told a press conference that all conditions are in place to extend the plant’s lifespan by between 10 and 20 years.
The four blocks at Paks, each with a nominal capacity of 500MW, were built between 1982 and 1987. Their 30-year lifespans were extended by 20 years between 2012 and 2017. The government is also planning upgrades to increase the plant’s efficiency, as well as new energy storage solutions, Palkovics said. If the plant has 20 more years left in it during which it can operate safely at high efficiency, then its lifespan should be extended, he said.
“We don’t see any technical issues that would have a significant effect on the extension of the plant’s lifespan,” he said, adding he was hopeful that Hungary could renegotiate the conditions of the extension in Brussels.
Meanwhile, he noted that the European Green Deal required Hungary to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, which meant investing in electrical energy. He also said that Hungary’s photovoltaic capacity would increase from the current 6GW to 12-14GW by 2030.
hungarymatters.hu
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