Paks II project defended

A pro-government author dismisses objections by environmentalists to Hungary’s nuclear power station project and suggests that the two new reactors will be financially viable and will not leave Hungary dependent on Russia.

In his Magyar Idők editorial, Zsolt Hárfás takes up the defence of the Paks II project against a series of political, environmental and financial concerns. He argues that Hungary will not become dependent on Russia as a result, as the nuclear fuel market is a free one and Russian fuel rods are chosen by the Czechs and Swedes because they find them better than their American competitor. Hárfás also finds environmental concerns unfounded; stating that at present nuclear energy is the cleanest large scale technology which can be produced on a 24 hour basis. As to the financial viability of the project, he argues that if official Hungarian profitability projections were unfounded, the European Union should object to the project as involving inadmissible state subsidies. However, the European Commission will shortly release it’s ‘no objection’ statement on the Paks project, he concludes quoting ‘well-informed business circles’.

Tags: Paks