– There will be a serious lack of capacity in Hungary and a number of outdated power plants will be shut down in Europe over the next 15 years – added Attila Aszódi. The state secretary for the maintenance of the performance of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant added that each member state of the European Union can determine its energy mix, as each country has different characteristics. In Austria, for example, hydropower has a decisive proportion, for which Hungary does not have its geographical potential, our country needs nuclear energy. Regarding Germany, it was said that the built-in solar and wind power capacities almost reached almost 50% of the total power plant capacity, while the amount of current produced by weather-dependent renewables is only around 18%, as their availability is much lower.

Attila Aszódi emphasized regarding Austria: the Austrian state's action against the European Commission has no suspensory effect, the Paks II. project continues uninterrupted. He added that antinuclear Austria also attacked the state aid of British Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant at the European Court of Justice. The state secretary, however, underlined: according to press reports, Germany does not intend to challenge the decision of the European Commission on Paks, as they consider that there is no mistake in Brussels’ resolution that would justify such a move.

The interactive vehicle displaying nuclear energy and the Paks II. project is still popular, which awaits the interested in 2017 at eight big summer festivals with spectacular new elements, relaxing possibilities and games. Dr. György Mészáros, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MVM Paks II. Nuclear Power Plant Development Ltd. informed the press regarding the experiences so far at the Velence station of the truck’s summer roundtrip at EFOTT.

The mobile interactive display started its roundtrip in 2009, and since then it has received more than 250 thousand visitors. The information roundtrip continued in the summer of 2017 at 8 big national festivals: the interactive truck has already been to VOLT and Balaton Sound; after checking in at EFOTT, it goes to Campus Festival and East Fest, then it awaits the guests at SZIGET, Debrecen Flower Carnival and SZIN.

Dr. György Mészáros highlighted that according to the two festivals so far the number of visitors grew by about 15% compared to the 2015 numbers. Based on the questionnaire summing up the views of the visitors, more than two-thirds of the fillers thought that nuclear energy is cheap and climate friendly. 90% of the responders gained new info after visiting the display, while 80% thougth it was useful.

The visitors of the truck can get to know about the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the specifics of the four currently operating and the two planned nuclear power plant units of Paks. They can receive new information regarding the results so far of the Paks II. project, significance of the investment and the social, economic and environmental effects and role of the project. By watching short videos, they can get to know the 3+ gen. VVER-1200 nuclear power plant units among others, and take a virtual tour in a nuclear power plant which is similar to the one planned in Paks. The visitors can measure their knowledge of the topic, and those who fill out the test correctly will receive a gift.

By using the bicycle found in the truck, the visitors can experience how much energy you need to operate a household object for a short period. In the energy island tent next to the truck the visitors can charge their mobile phones while relaxing in hammocks or beanbags in the shadows. The interested can win a daily ticket every day for the next station of the truck’s summer trip – this week it’s the Campus festival.

Nuclear and renewable energy, especially solar energy, can contribute to the energy supply of our country - emphasized János Süli at the conference on the Revolution of Energy in Budapest on 8 March. The minister without portfolio responsible for the construction of the Paks nuclear power plant units recalled that due to the extreme cold, on 2 March, the electricity demand reached a historic peak. The system load reached 6835 megawatts, about 50% was needed to be imported from abroad, which also confirms the need for new nuclear power plant units, the minister has underlined.

János Süli also talked about the important task of 2018 to submit an establishment license application to the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority, after which the authority has 15 months to evaluate the documentation, containing about 200,000 pages. The minister added that the work of the HAEA will be supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency. János Süli also reported that the work area was set up to begin construction on the staging area of the new nuclear power plant units.