Construction of two new units at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant is gaining momentum in Hungary. Around a thousand workers are currently active on-site, but their numbers are set to grow as nuclear workers and engineers — including many from Russia, some with families — arrive in Paks. Here is our account of how the town is doing and what life is like for its residents.
Hungary’s only operating nuclear power plant in Paks generates half of all electricity in the country. It consists of four units with VVER-440 reactors. Under construction is now the plant’s second phase, Paks II, which will have two units with VVER-1200 reactors. Once these units are commissioned, the total power output of the plant will grow to 4,400 MW, and the share of nuclear energy in the national energy mix will reach 70%. The site of Paks II is now being prepared for the first concrete pouring.
In 2024, the Paks NPP produced 16 TWh of electricity, accounting for nearly half of Hungary’s total carbon-free electricity production and meeting about one third of domestic electricity demand.
Also in 2024, during a mission conducted every ten years, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reaffirmed the Paks NPP’s commitment to safe and reliable operations.
At a conference dedicated to renewable energy development, Hungarian Minister of Energy Csaba Lantos emphasized that sustainable climate policy could not exist without nuclear energy and that Hungary remained a steadfast proponent of nuclear power.
Construction of the nuclear power plant in the town of Paks began in 1974. Within a few years, its population grew from 13,000 to 19,000, and Paks was granted a municipality status on January 1, 1979.
Comfortable housing designed for the plant’s construction workers later became home to the operational staff. In the Kishegy district, the Tulipanos (‘Tulip’) neighborhood emerged, featuring panel buildings decorated with tulip-inspired designs. The city opened a cultural center, theater, and cinema, as well as sports facilities, a beach, and an ice rink with artificial ice.
In the second half of the 1980s, the Church of the Holy Spirit, better known as the Makovecz Church after its renowned architect Imre Makovecz, was built in Paks. It has since become an unofficial symbol of the city, with its 34-meter bell tower visible from almost everywhere.
Paks is located 100 km south of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube. National highways connect the town to the capital and other municipalities, while ferries and a recently constructed bridge provide access to the left bank of the Danube. Electric buses run through the city from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm.
Paks boasts a library, museum, and cultural center where theater performances and film screenings are regularly held. Residents enjoy fishing in the artificial cooling ponds of the nuclear plant and along the Danube.
The nuclear power plant is the largest employer in Paks and nearby towns. The city also has a thriving small and medium-sized business sector, including construction, logistics, trade, education, and services.
The Paks football club is a leader in the national championship. Local rowing and judo schools have produced several Olympic and world champions.
Across Hungary, Paks is famous for its halászlé soup, a fish stew made with various types of fish, paprika, and spicy chili. The town also has its own wine, Siller, and a festival was established in its honor 15 years ago. Food enthusiasts and fans of blues, jazz, and rock flock to Paks in July for the Gastroblues music festival, which has been running since 1993.
For most Hungarians, however, Paks is primarily associated with the nuclear power plant. It is a popular tourist destination, with an information center operating since 1995 and a nuclear energy museum opened in 2012.
Photo by: Pask.hu Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation, Wikipedia
