Alexey Likhachev (left) and Viktor Orbán (Image by MTI/PMʼs Press Office/Zoltán Fischer)

They were joined by Alexander Merten of Rusatom International Network, Vladimir Sergeev, Russiaʼs Ambassador to Hungary, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó and minister in charge of the upgrade of the Paks nuclear power plant János Süli.

The sides evaluated progress on the Paks II upgrade project and agreed that the investment is moving forward as planned, press chief Bertalan Havasi said.

He noted that the application for the Paks II implementation license was submitted to the National Atomic Energy Office (OAH) in June, and the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH) issued an electricity implementation license for the project in November.

The sides reviewed the main tasks to be completed in the near future, such as groundwork which could start in the first half of 2021, Havasi said.

It was noted at the meeting that the OAH is expected to issue the implementation license in the autumn of 2021, allowing construction of the new blocks to begin, he added.

Rosatom is the general contractor for the construction of two more blocks at the Paks plant, Hungaryʼs only commercial source of nuclear energy. The Russian state is financing 80% of the cost of the investment.