The expansion of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant is progressing well, the cut-off wall works have been completed – announced Péter Szijjártó. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade spoke in Skopje about the 2.7-kilometer-long watertight cut-off wall was built at record speed. – Preparation of the soil can continue at a great pace. Thus, the goal of pouring the so-called first concrete next year and connecting the new units of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant to the grid at the very beginning of the 2030s is still realistic, stated Péter Szijjártó.

During the implementation of the new power plant, it is taken into consideration that four units are already operating in the vicinity of the site. Therefore, the area of the two new units will be surrounded by a cut-off wall. The task of the 1-meter-thick, 32-meter-deep, 2.7-km-long water barrier wall below ground level is to ensure that ground water can only enter the working pit in a controlled and at a minimal level. In addition, it prevents the groundwater level from decreasing outside the cut-off wall as a result of the drainage of the working pit, which is extremely important concerning the four operating units.

Depending on the depth of the excavation next to the cut-off wall, in the case of the tailings wall, the so-called steel girder reinforcement is used, and in the case of the reinforced concrete cut-off wall, rebar armatures are placed.

Earthworks continue with soil consolidation and soil excavation up to the so-called design level, at the end of which the first concrete can be poured. This symbolically marks the beginning of the construction of the nuclear power plant.