History

Short History of the Plant

A SHORT COMPANY HISTORY

The predecessor of the MVM Paks NPP Ltd. (PA Zrt.) was the Paks Nuclear Power Plant Company (PAV) founded on 1st January, 1976. With the founding of this company a new branch of national industry was born, namely the use of nuclear energy to produce electricity. The start-up of this new branch was closely connected to nuclear energetics programmes around the world. Before giving an introduction to the national development of this industry, let’s look at the most important events of the world regarding the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This overview is also important as it shows that Hungarian scientists and experts had kept up with the development of this field of science.

The beginnings

On 2 December, 1942. in Chicago the world’s first nuclear reactor started running (in an underground room of the university’s sport stadium). The designers were: Enrico Fermi, Leó Szilárd, Jenő Wigner and Arthur Compton.
25 December, 1946. The F-1 research reactor was started up with the lead of Kurchatov in the Soviet Union.
1 September, 1950. Hungarian scientists and experts – who had been interested in the new energy generation method known worldwide already - founded the Hungarian Central Research Institute for Physics (KFKI) to provide suitable circumstances for research.
27 June 1954. The world’s first commercial nuclear power plant started working in Obninsk, a small town near Moscow. It had a 5 MW capacity and ran safely until June 2002.
8-10 August 1955. In the I. Geneva Conference the main theme the peaceful use of nuclear energy was. The scientists of 73 countries participated in the conference among them several Hungarian scientists, for example György Hevesy.
21 January, 1956. In Hungary the National Atomic Energy Committee was set up (OAB).
29 June, 1957. The International Atomic Energy Agency was founded; Hungary was among the 26 founding countries.
1-18 September, 1958. The II. Geneva Conference was held about the peaceful use of nuclear energy, with Hungarian scientists in attendance.
29 March, 1959. The experimental nuclear reactor of the KFKI was started up, the first chain reaction in Hungary.
13 May, 1963. The OAB proclaimed that the industrial use of nuclear energy needs to be increased.
28 December 1966. The interstate treaty between Hungary and Soviet Union about the construction of a nuclear plant was signed.

We have entered the era of nuclear

By signing the interstate treaty between Hungary and Soviet Union about the construction of a nuclear plant a new chapter has started in the fields of national research and
development, education, industry and international cooperation. The biggest engineering and construction companies of the country had been through some significant industrial constructions throughout the country: Ajka, Dunaújváros, Kazincbarcika, Ózd, Százhalombatta, Tatabánya, Tiszaújváros. The experience and technical knowledge gained on these constructions was further increased at Paks, as the quality of work and the safety requirements were of primary importance.  For example welders were only allowed to work on site only after specialised welding training and qualifications. Not only quality control provided new circumstances, but also the quantity required. The Plant Construction Company had 4 building and 7 technical installation companies as subcontractors. In the background 14 engineering and research institutes were working, with 166 companies and 1723 valid contracts. Besides Hungarian experts, Soviet, Polish, Czech and German professionals and workers worked on the site.  At times 10 thousand people worked at the Paks site. It was a difficult task to organise this immense number of people so more than 1000 members of the Hungarian National Army  were helping out, as well as the young professionals of KISZ.
The life of the village of Paks was turned upside down when construction began; the designers – knowing from previous experience – designed a separate district to reduce conflicts. The housing estate was designed in a way that after the builders left the flats could be used by the operating staff of the plant.  The relationship between the residents of the village and the building workers after the initial problems quickly settled, the number of local residents doubled to 21 thousand people and the village received town rights on 1 January, 1979.

Finally let’s look at which considerations were taken into account when choosing Paks as the location for the NPP site.
In the beginning phase of the planning 16 potential sites were identified. Based on the possibility of fresh water cooling three settlements were further investigated: Dusnok, Bogyiszló and Paks. After considering the same aspects the decision was made in favour of Paks.

The most important characteristics of the potential site at the time of decision making:

- the site and the surroundings are on a plain,  and filling and foundation works can be carried out easily as the soil characteristics are very favourable,
- due to special ground works the area is protected from flood and inland waters,
- the minimum water supply of the Danube is around 750 m3/s, the power plant would only use approximately 15-20 % for cooling purposes,
- the meteorology conditions are also favourable; the town lies in the lee of the plant,
- the population density in the 30 km radius vicinity is lower than the national average,
- it is in a favourable location as it can improve the electricity supply of the Southern part of Hungary, and the power distribution between country regions,
- the site can be economically joined to the national power line system,
- construction materials and main equipment can be transported to the site on the river; the site can be easily linked to national roads and railways,
- the town of Paks – due to its natural and infrastructural characteristics – provides good opportunities to accommodate operation staff,
- the site is suitable for further capacity extensions in the future,
- the investment provided great opportunity for the industrial development of the agricultural Tolna county.

The most important phases of the building of the power plant until the start-up of Unit 1.

16 February 1967. The site of Paks was chosen at the Electricity sector meeting of the Industrial Ministry (NIM).
7 April, 1969. The Southern Transdanubia Electicity Company started installing the electricity supply system for the construction. They were the first swallows. The digging of the fresh water channel and the filling of the plant site had started.
31 December, 1969. The construction had been stopped; 148 million Forints had been spent by the end of that year.
21 October, 1971. The 3393/1971. Government Decree defined that an 880 MW nuclear power plant should be built at Paks by the first half of 1973.
September, 1972. The NPP Construction Secretariat was founded and Benjámin Szabó was appointed as the ministry officer of the NPP.
February 1973. The suspended ground preparation works were continued based on the temporary licence of the Economic Committee.
August, 1973. The Soviet partner announced: modifications were made on the safety features.
8 November, 1973. The second phase of the ground filling started.
30 January, 1974. The fresh water channel was 50 % ready.
April, 1974. The 22. State Construction Company started working on site.
August 1974. The construction of Units 1 and 2 was started.
24 November, 1975. The Minister of Industry signed the Founding Document of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant Company.
1 January, 1976. The Paks Nuclear Power Plant Company started running.
30 March, 1976. The new railway between Paks and the NPP started operating.
23 November, 1976. The long distance heating system started running on the site and on the housing estate.
July, 1978. The 3308/1978. Government Decree stated that works are to be continued in continuous shifts.
1 January, 1979. Paks received town rights.
1 July, 1979. The Installation Department of PAV was founded.
December, 1979. The draft of an intergovernmental treaty was drawn up about the 2*1000 MW extension of the Paks NPP. After completing most of the preparation works the programme was terminated in 1989.
20 October 1980. The reactor vessel of Unit 1 was lifted to its final place.
December, 1980. The first fuel transport arrived.
February, 1981. The start-up programme was started for the operation of the technology systems of Unit 1.

The connection of Units to the grid

Unit 1.: 28 December, 1982.
Unit 2.: 6 September, 1984.
Unit 3.: 28 September, 1986.
Unit 4.: 16 August, 1987.