Hungary FM: Paks II Officially Enters Construction Phase, Both Legally and in Practice

The first concrete was poured for the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant.

With the initial concrete laid underground, the Paks II project now qualifies—under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards—as a nuclear power plant officially under construction. The project stands as the flagship of Europe’s nuclear revival and a key guarantee of Hungary’s policy of keeping household utility costs low, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced Thursday at the site.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the occasion, Szijjarto said the event once again proves the old adage that “Hungarians aren't right—they end up being right.” He recalled that the government decided on the Paks expansion at a time when nuclear energy was treated as a dirty word across Europe.

“Since then, the situation has changed fundamentally,” he said. “A new era in the global economy has begun, in which demand for electricity has increased dramatically. And those who once spoke about nuclear energy in a condescending and dismissive way have now realized that nuclear power is the most modern, the cheapest, and the most environmentally friendly solution if we want to produce electricity reliably, in large quantities, and safely—rain or shine.”

Szijjarto stressed that competitiveness today is impossible without nuclear energy, putting Hungary in a strong position for the future.

“Of all the nuclear investments currently underway in Europe, Paks II is the largest and the most advanced,” he said. “It is the flagship project of the continent’s nuclear renaissance.”

He also pointed out that many have tried—and continue to try—to block the project, including the previous U.S. administration, liberal forces in Brussels, and certain figures in Hungary’s domestic opposition.

“But we did not give in, and we will not give in,” Szijjarto declared. “With President Donald Trump , we reached an agreement under which the United States will lift the sanctions previously imposed in connection with Paks II. In Brussels, we ourselves have blocked—and continue to block—any attempt by the European Union to impose sanctions on the nuclear sector. And we will defeat the opposition as well.”

According to the foreign minister, 

These three factors are essential to ensuring that the Paks II investment is completed on time and without delay. That matters because Paks II is the guarantee of Hungary’s long-term energy security, and it is the guarantee of maintaining utility cost reductions,

he summarized.

Szijjarto explained that the first concrete will serve as the stable foundation of the plant’s control building, and with this step completed, the project now officially qualifies as a reactor under construction under IAEA standards.

“In a few more years—after a few more years of construction and hard work—we will be able to connect Paks II to Hungary’s electricity grid,” he said. “That will be a massive step toward achieving Hungarian energy sovereignty.”

“We must accelerate the investment and complete it as soon as possible,” he said.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, called the day a great one for Hungary, Russia, nuclear cooperation, and sustainable energy. He emphasized that the Paks project will be a powerful symbol of Hungary’s prosperity and its emergence as a major European economic player.

Grossi noted that the project has had to move forward against strong headwinds, calling it a clear example of determination and political will.

“We can only celebrate the fact that you were able to overcome these difficulties together—whether political, demographic, financial, or otherwise—and move the project forward,” he said.