Thus a rock band occupied the control console of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. At least this was modelled at the VOLT Festival, where the band Ivan & The Parazol were able to try out the virtual control centre of the power plant, which accounts for more than half the electricity generated in Hungary. Members of the band could experience what a night would be like without lighting and, because of that, without rock concerts in Budapest and how the whole of western Hungary would plunge into darkness. Simultaneously, they could also see how the price of electricity as well as the pollutant emissions of the electricity system would increase if the nuclear power plant operated at a much lower output than today. After the simulator, the boys also tried out a power-generating bike, yet even after brief but exhausting pedalling, they faced the fact that they could not generate the amount of electricity that would be sufficient for their own concert.

‘Several methods are used in Hungary to generate energy without carbon dioxide emissions, such as wind and solar energy, but at present only the nuclear power plant is able to generate energy in such a way at a significant industrial scale in Hungary,’ said György Felkai, Communications Director of the MVM Group. ‘The Paks Nuclear Power Plant generates affordable electricity safely in our country and, in addition, the four operational Paks units save the oxygen demand of two million people every year, i.e. the annual oxygen output of forests in Hungary, by not emitting greenhouse gases. We hope that the well-known musicians visiting the interactive exhibition will also inspire visitors to the festival to become better acquainted with the world of nuclear energy and its advantages.’

The goal of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant is to make as many young people as possible familiar with its technology, which is outstandingly safe even in international comparison.

In addition to reliability, the continuous and high level of public support allows the Paks Nuclear Power Plant to operate the nuclear power plant units 20 years beyond their design life, and allows the new nuclear power plant units to strengthen the energy security of Hungary at the Paks site.
‘Energy is an essential element of rock and roll, and it was bad to think about what the world would be like without concerts,’ said Iván Vitáris, leader of the band Ivan & The Parazol. ‘It was interesting to experience how important a role the Paks Nuclear Power Plant plays in Hungary’s energy supply. This was the first time we got acquainted more closely with it and saw how significant it is. We think it’s important that young people should appropriately seek information about this energy source. It was awesome.’

The members of the band tried out for the first time what it felt like to influence the power supply to the territory of whole counties by pressing a few buttons in the control centre of a nuclear power plant. However, this is not only the privilege of celebrities, as any festival-goer has the opportunity to do so for a few minutes, even between two concerts. The Interactive Lorry bearing the logo ‘Energy for Our Future’ can be visited throughout the VOLT Festival, and interested visitors can also encounter the exhibition afterwards at EFOTT to be organised this year in Miskolctapolca, during the Szeged Youth Days, in the Valley of Arts in Kapolcs, and at the Debrecen Flower Carnival, the Szerencs Chocolate Festival and the Nyíregyháza Vidor Festival.

The exhibition touring the country is bringing nuclear energy to homes for the sixth year. So far, several hundred thousand people have been able to familiarise themselves with the operation of nuclear power plants and could see for themselves that the capacity maintenance of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant is important for the energy supply and economy of the country, given that an electrical capacity that will operate without pollutant emissions for at least 60 years, while supplying electricity in Hungary at an affordable price, can be built. Visitors to the truck can become familiar with all operational nuclear power plants in the world, the history of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, which has been safely operating for three decades, the Hungarian electricity grid, as well as the colourful flora and fauna of Paks and its environs. Like the celebrities, visitors of a more sporting disposition can also take a turn on the power-generating bike, and if they have questions still remaining after that, experienced specialists of the nuclear power plant will be pleased to answer them.