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Negotiation progress
back to contentsRussia and Hungary signed an agreement concerning the provision of a loan for Paks NPP construction completion. The money is given for 21 years. The loan repayment will start after the new capacities are up and running but not later than March 2026. The loan interest rate will be 3.95% from 2014 until the reactors are connected to the grid and then 4.5% during the first seven years of repayment period, 4.8% during the second seven-year period, and 4.95% during the third seven-year period.
Just to remind, the document that regulates the nuclear cooperation of Russia and Hungary, in particular, the construction of Paks NPP Units 5 and 6, as well as the contract for fuel supplies and servicing, was signed at the January 14 meeting of President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban this year. This fact confirmed Hungary’s adherence to the Russian nuclear technologies, since the project was awarded to ROSATOM without bidding.
Progress was reached at negotiations with India concerning the construction of Kudankulam NPP Units 3 and 4. The parties came to an agreement on the civil liability for nuclear damage as related to the project. Initially, ROSATOM was critical of provisions of the Indian law, considering them too stringent. Under this law it is the builder who will be made liable for any potential problems that may arise during the entire operation period of the plant. However, India made concessions, which made possible to accept these terms and conditions. So each reactor could have cost US$ 1 Billion (INR 60 Billion), but the price jumped 2.5 times after delays and financial liability, which is to be covered by an Indian insurance company, were counted in. Ultimately, Moscow agreed to build two reactors at a total of US$ 5 Billion (INR 300 Billion). The countries signed an agreement that India’s General Insurance Company would charge insurance fees to cover any compensations, which Russia would have to pay in case of an accident. The final agreement on the construction of two new power units is expected to sign on the coming days.
Base for the construction
In May, ROSATOM and Bangladesh hope to sign the third final pre-construction contract related to Ruppur NPP, said Valery Limarenko, head of the United Company NIAEP-ASE, the future plant architect general. “The already signed contracts allow designing the plant, the site surveys are already under way, he said. “Now, the negotiations on the third contract carry on, which is to build the construction base. We expect to sign the contract in May. Then, the work will start with the Ministry of Finance [of Russia] to open the loan financing.” Limarenko reminded that the three contracts total about US$ 500 Million. The final pre-construction contracts provide for building the construction and installation base and for all necessary activities that precede the first concrete. When signed, these documents will finally form the base for executing the entire set of works of the pre-construction period.