Nuclear Energy Gains Critical Boost From U.S.-Hungary Agreement

Beyond the fact that the Paks II nuclear power plant has now received full sanctions immunity and is officially classified as an active construction project, further expansion is already on the table. The question is no longer whether there will be a “Paks III.” The intent and plans for construction already exist — and from 2028 onward, the existing Paks units will no longer have to rely exclusively on Russian fuel.

Zsolt Harfas, engineer and nuclear-energy expert, has long argued that Hungary needs a third nuclear power plant and that Paks II is already indispensable (Photo: Lou Benoist Source: AFP)

Hungary’s electricity demand is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. For energy security and national-security reasons, Harfas stressed 

that beyond extending the operating life of the current Paks reactors and completing Paks II with Russian technology, Hungary will also need to build additional nuclear units at new sites — potentially including small modular reactors (SMR).

 The expert notes that the current agreement also reflects the goal of increasing production compacity.

According to current information, the Washington announcement indicates that as many as ten American small modular reactors (SMR) could be installed in Hungary, tailored to Hungarian needs. No final decision has been made yet. If everything proceeds as planned, we may soon be speaking not only of Paks III, but even Paks IV or Paks V. For SMR technology as well, nuclear safety remains paramount — alongside efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and long-term operational reliability.